i soxa UNIVERSITY OF AT LOS ANGELES A TRAVELS IN THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA IN THE YEARS 1822 AND 1823. St.. BY G. MOLLIEN. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. > 1 I » « I ,' " ) ' 1 -• i • > > * 'o ' . . » • - I J* • > • 1 * * ' J b *' •.. 1 LONDON : PRINTED FOR C. KNIGHT, PALL-MALL EAST. 1824. l;6H^ • • .* t • • - c c >: ! • ••• • • • c • I • •• Gj Schulze, P.inlcr, Id, I'oland SUcet / CONTENTS. CT x^ Pages. HAPTKR I.— Departure from France— The Azores— Coasts of the United States— Norfolk— Washinston— New Car- thag-ena— Departure for Bogota— Turbaco— Barranca- Route from Carthaitena to the Mairdalena . l Chap. II.— Departure from Barranca— Village ofTenerifle— Serabrano— Isle San Pedro— Pinto— Santa Anna— Mon- pox— The Governor of Monpox— Margarita — Guamo— \ Penon— Banko— Sierra-Ocana— Regidor — Rio-Viejo— ^ Morales— Vadillo— The inhabitants of the Magdalena ^ —Boca Rosario— San Pablo— The point of Barbacoa— ^ Garapata — Angustura — Nare 22 ^ Chap. Ill,— Branch of the Magdalena— The Miel— Rio Ne- gro— Guarumo—ThePromontory of Garderia— The Rocks of Perico— Honda— Description of the Magdalena 46 Chap. IV.— Route from Honda to Bogota— Rio'Seco—Ven- ta Grande— Mountain of Sarjento— Valley of Guaduas- Billeta—Facatativia— Description of the Plain of Bogota —Fall of Tequendania— Natural Bridge of Pandi 57 Chap. V.— .Tourney into the province of Socorro, situated to ^ the north of Santa-Fe de Bogota 74 .^ Chap. VI.— Situation of the Country from 1498to 1781.— The >^^ ancient inhabitants— Tiieir customs- Their manners- ^ Commercial, religious and military conquests— Quesada ^ —Decrease of the Indian population— Negroes— Their condition— Mixture of the races— Ports— Churches— Vil- lages— Towns— Mines— Colonial agriculture— European agriculture— Industry— Spanish Government- Profound Chap. VII.— Revolt of Socorro.— Insurrection of 1794-^Spa*- ^ msh Viceroys— Revolt of Caracas in I8l0— Revolt of New Grenada— TheViceroy Amar— Miranda— Bolivar— a Monteverde reconquers Caracas— Bolivar passes over ^ to Curasao— He abandons it— Returns by Carthagena to 5 Caracas— Is defeated— Crosses the Cordillera— Seizes y Santa-Fe— Marches to attack Castillo at Carthagena— Is defeated— Passes over to Jamaica— General ambi- tion— Morillo subjects the country ioq Chap. VIII — Samanon Viceroy— Spanish Soldiers— Ameri- can Soldiers— Bolivar returns to Santa-Fe— Proceeds to Quito— Afterwards to Guayaquil- Character of the principal Generals 141 Chap. IX.— The new Government— Constitution of Cuciita —Division of the country into departments— Renewal ot the Cabildos— Civil laws— Justice— Congress— The Executive Power l^g Chap. X.— Return to Bogota— Puenta Real— Copper mines of Momquira— Chinquira— Salt mines of Zipaquira.. 173 >,- Chap. XI.— Santa-F(^ de Bogota— Climate— Houscs—Furni- ture--CathedraI— Convents— Hospital — Colleses -The President's Palace— Palace of the Deputies— Palace of IV • CONTENTS. Pages Ihe Senate — Prisons — The Mint and Theatre — Streets — Police — Market — Paupers — Public Walks — Mode of Living — Shops — Amusements — Fete Dieu — Manners — Devotees — Scientific Establishments — Character of the .-- Inhabitants 184 I Chap. XII. — Finances — Brandy — Post Office — Revenue — Stamps — Alcavala — Direct Taxation — War — Army — ' Fortified places — Marine — Foreign Relations 207 Chap, XIII. — Departure from Bogota for Popayaii Gua- duas — Chaguani — San-Juan — Return to Guaduas — Short stay in that Town — Beltran — Ambalema — San Luis — Chaparral — Natagaima — Parande — Saraboja — Villa Vie- ja— Neyva., 220 Chap. XIV. — Tambo del Ovo — Passo Domingarios — Rope Bridge — La Plata — Pedregal — San Francisco — Insa Mountain of Guanacas — Totoro — Panikita — Popayan — Volcano of Purace 256 Chap. XV. — Departure from Popayan — Mine of Allegrias Quilichao — The Cauca — Samondi — Cali — Departure from Cali — Las Juntas , . 281 Chap. XVI. — Dangerous navigation of the Dagua — San- Buenaventura — Description of the province of Choco Departure from San-Buenaventura on board a Peruvian schooner — Arrival at Panama — Observations on the great ^ Ocean 293 ^Chap. XVII. — Description of the town of Panama The women of Colombia 316 Chap. XVIII. — Description of the Republic of Colombia — Mountains — Climate — Air — Seasons — Temperature — Wind — Rain — Tropical Influence — Harvest — Forests — Rivers — Ravines — Mines — Lakes — Seas — Wild Animals ! Domestic Animals — Plains of the Oronooko — General appearance of the Country ,327 Chap. XIX — Population — Inhabitants of the Paramos — Inhabitants of the Corn Mountains — Inhabitants of^je plains — Indios bravos — Negro Slaves — Religion...... 340 Chap. XX.— Character of the Colombians 358 . Chap. XXI. — Agriculture — Industry Reflexions on the Ca- ■^ panian tree — Mines — Coins — Salt-works— Commerce — y Exportations — Importations 370 \Chap. XXn. — Communication by land and water — Com- -- mercial laws 393 Chap. XXIII. — Departure from Panama — Cruces — The river Chagres — The Gorgona — Chagres 409 Chap. XXIV. — Arrival at Jamaica — Departure for Euro- pe — Lucayos or Bahama islands — Falmouth — Arrival in France ^t. .. 416 Notes and Illustrations 425 'V TRAVELS IN THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. CHAPTER 1. Departure from France — The Azores — Coasts of the United States — Nor- folk — Washington — New Carthagena — Departure for Bogota — Tur- baco — Barranca — Route from Carthagena to the Magdalena. 1 HE sanguinary struggle in which Spanish Ame- rica was engaged, and the surprising revolution which had taken place there, opening as it did to foreigners the long-closed ports of that con- tinent, had excited my curiosity in the highest degree. Longing to satisfy it, I eagerly embraced the first opportunity which presented itself; a ship of war being on the point of sailing to the Antilles for the protection of our commerce, I solicited permission to embark on board her ; my request was granted. I lost no time in making the necessary pre- parations, and, upon arriving at the place of embarkation, was informed that the vessel would first touch at the United States; information B TRAVELS IN THE which, far from being- disagreeable, was par- ticularly gratifying, as it would procure me the means of visiting both Americas. y\fter some unforeseen delays, we set sail in the month of August, 1822. On the 1st of Sep- tember we came in sight of the Azores ; passed St. Michael ; and, early the next day, saw Ter- ceiras, St. George, and Pico. An American whaler was the only vessel we met with in these latitudes. Our passage was on the whole favourable, and would have been completely so, but for the fogs on the coast of North America, which pre- vented our seamen from taking observations suf- ficiently exact to remove all uncertainty. At length, on the 26th, at six o'clock in the even- ing, an American pilot comforted us with the assurance that we were not far from land ; and, the next day, we descried the sandy coasts of Virginia covered with forests of pines. At one o'clock in the afternoon we anchored at a short distance from the fort of Hampton, now called, after the president, Fort Monroe. Before the arrival of a boat to carry me to Norfolk, which is about four leagues to the south- east of Hampton, I had an opportunity of exa- mining the novel spectacle which surrounded me ; and saw, with particular interest, the fort raised in the middle of the bay to defend the entrance to the Chesapeak, by which the English, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 6 in 1814, penetrated as far as Washington. Tliis fort requires three hundred pieces of artillery. It was not till the evening of the 28th, that I could procure, for my passage to Norfolk, one of those pilot-boats, so light, but at the same time so dangerous, in which the helmsman is obliged to confine himself within a narrow hole to prevent his being washed away by the billows which continually break over his frail bark ; the numerous tacks we were compelled to make pre- vented our arriving at the town till midnight. Norfolk is very advantageously situated for commerce, from its short distance from Chesa- peak Bay, into which so many rivers discharge themselves. The streets of Norfolk, as in all towns of English construction, are wide, and furnished with trottoirs. The houses are of brick ; while the variety of their structure, and the neat- ness prevailing in their interiors, impart an air of cheerfulness to Norfolk which renders it very interesting to foreigners. Upon seeing the grass plots which surround each habitation, and the trees which overshadow its roof, the traveller would be tempted to ima- gine himself in the midst of the country, did not the confusion caused by numerous carriages of all descriptions, and the bustle of the port, which hundreds of boats and vessels are crossing in every direction, announce that Norfolk is a com- mercial town of considerable importance. B 2 4 TRWELS IN THE On the 30tli of September, I left this place for Washing-ton ; and, after sailing- on the Chesa- peak till midnight, entered the Potowmack. At daybreak, we were between the coasts of Maryland and those of Virginia. The heat was great ; but little cultivation was visible : the lands were yet maiden ones. Notwithstanding the cheap rate at which the government disposes of them oO francs an acre,* the system of sla- very kept up m these provinces deters the colo- nists, who prefer passing the Allegany Mountains, and establishing themselves in the west, where they find land at 5 francs an acre.-f- About one o'clock we discovered Mount Vernon, the resi- dence of Washington ; although its architecture is simple, what interesting recollections does it bring to mind ! Leaving on our right the mouth of the Pis- cataway, near which is a fort destined one day to defend the capital from the torches of the Eng- lish, we came in sight of Alexandria, a town flourishing during the time of war, but now in a declining state. Its streets, laid down geometrically, are all perpendicular to the river, which produces a singular effect ; for on one side, it is bordered by woods of pine, and on the other by forests of masts. From Alexandria we perceived the wooden bridge of Washington, * About SB.v. English, t About 3.V. prf. English. RKPIJJJLIC OF COLOMIUA. O which is a mile in extent; and soon after, the city itself appeared in the midst of cultivated fields, occupying almost the whole extent allotted to it. Washing-ton is a city of prodigious extent, with reference to the plan after which it has been built ; but, except at the meeting of Con- gress, it is but a melancholy solitude, in which it is impossible to escape from ennui. This is the only time it has the appearance of being inhabited; and the few country-liouses scattered about its vicinity are filled with strangers, whose presence imparts some degree of animation to the city. At the time I was there, the number of inhabitants was very small ; so much so, that I considered I had seen the whole city the very first day even of my arrival. I shall not here repeat the description of its public monuments, as they are to be found in almost every account of voyages to the United States. The next day I embarked upon the Potowmack to return to Nor- folk, and was twenty-four hours in performing the sixty leagues, which separate the two towns. Our vessel was to re-victual at Norfolk, and for this a few days only were requisite. On the 13th of November we again weighed an- chor ; the wind, which, at first favourable, had carried us out of the roads, and enabled us to double Cape Henry, suddenly became con- trary, and obliged us to anchor opposite that point. The delay, however, was not long ; the 6 TRAVELS IN THE next day we again set sail, and before sun-set lost sight of the coasts of North America. Upon arriving in a country to which we are strangers, every one communicates the in- formation he has acquired from the relations of travellers, while the accounts of persons who have already visited it are listened to with pe- culiar interest. Upon quitting it, they who at first, from ignorance, had paid implicit defer- ence to the accounts of their precursors, and had confined themselves to being mere auditors, hasten to avail themselves of their newly-acquired ex- perience, and feel a malicious gratification in contradicting what they themselves had adopted in the first instance, as the result of mature re- flection. Thus it was with each of us ; we were eager mutually to communicate our remarks, and to make our comments upon them : many institutions which seemed inconsistent with the principle upon which the social edifice of the United States had been founded, struck us with astonishment. The lash under which the negro- slaves still smart cracked in our ears*; the pre- judices under which men of colour groaned, shocked our sensibility ; morals appeared re- laxed, which indeed they must have been to a great degree to have provoked the censure of sailors, naturally not inclined to be severe in * In 1820, the number of slaves in the United States amounted to 1,538,128. RKPUBLIC OF COLOiMBFA. 7 these matters. The police, wliich, while it allows great liberty to foreigners, affords them but little security against the bad faith of traders, or the treachery of domestics, allowed but little room for admiration. Above all, great complaints were made of the remissness of the Americans in adopting precautionary measures against the yellow fever, thus exposing all the towns upon the coast to its annual ravages. On the other hand, it was impossible not to praise the activity of their commerce, the good order of their ma- rine, the eagerness with which they avail them- selves of all new inventions, and particularly of steam-engines, which have become for them, as well as for every nation that employs them, a great and incalculable means of riches and power. Many persons, especially among the military, were thought to have a leaning towards aristocracy ; and indeed, some recent institu- tions, such as the establishment of a school foi" the officers at New York, prove that the go- vernment, far from discountenancing, encourage it. In short, a great source of division might be foreseen in tlie population of colour which peoples the southern provinces, while those of the north contain comparatively but few, who oppose, to the utmost of their power, the system of their southern neighbours. In general, the opinions thus given of countries which we had only in fact just perceived, were marked by 8 TRAVELS IN THE ^ impartiality ; it was agreed that the manners of the inhabitants of Virginia might be very different from those of Pensylvania, and that the system of slavery imparted so peculiar a phy- siognomy to the regions of the south, that it was difficult to recognize the traits of the English character, — I mean of that creative activity which operates miracles in so many places. The towns had appeared dull and the coun- try monotonous from the forests of pine by which it was covered, and the roads inconvenient from being formed of beams as in Russia. The climate of Norfolk was found to be too warm, that of Washington too cold and damp. We were gene- rally pleased with the neatness and simplicity observable in the interior of the houses, and still more gratified by the kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants. These virtues of which they possessed a great share, were rendered more amia- ble among the women from the charm of sin • cerity. — Tlie men generally preserved the charac- teristic taciturnity of the English. The winds and the waves were so favorable, that we daily made great way. The pleasure we felt at soon arriving in the equinoctial seas con- tributed much to enliven our conversations ; but a sudden change of the wind damped our joy, and caused our hope of making a quick and agreeable passage to be succeeded by all the dis- agreeableness of a tedious voyage. In short REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 9 we were becalmed near the Bermudas. In vain we sought for something to relieve the weary uniformity of the motionless ocean ; in vain, our eyes fixed on the horizon, did we endeavour to discover some movement on the liquid plain ; all was still. At length some fish made their appearance, and the pleasure of catching them was doubled by the hope that they were the pre- cursors of winds. Their arrival was not a falla- cious prognostic ; on the 24th of October, a breeze from the south south-west relieved us from our unpleasant position, and carried us as far the 31" of latitude and 62" of longitude. We did not however cross the tropic until the 3rd of November. On the 8th we perceived Porto Rico, and found ourselves in latitude 14" 52'; the next day we sailed in sight of the small is- lands of Zacheo, Mona and Monito. These iso- lated rocks, covered with brush-wood, and bind- weed, appear inaccessible ; before nightfall they were no longer in sight: we had entered the sea of the Antilles. Two days afterwards upon seeing land, we sounded, and found bottom at forty five fathoms. Having afterwards arrived in latitude IT' 18', we fell in with the Colum- bian fleet, dispatched to form the blockade of Maraca'ibo, which had fallen into the posses- sion of the Spanish general Morales. The captain was not without anxiety as he approached land. The little depth which the 10 TRAVELS IN THE sounding- line every where indicated, the va- riation of the currents, the storms which burst over us daily, and the dangerous coasts suffi- ciently justified his apprehensions, these were, however, considerably lessened upon seeing, on the 15th, the point of Zamba, a promontory formed by ten unequal mounds. At length on the 17th, we perceived the convent built upon the Popa ; Carthagena is at the foot of this height. The next day we weighed anchor early and sailed for the port ; we soon passed Boca- Grande, a canal which the Spaniards the better to defend the approaches to Carthagena, have blocked up by sinking old vessels in it; a few moments after we entered the passage of Boca- Chica, which is defended by two strong castles. An officer sent by the commandant of one of the castles came on board, we then hoisted all sails, and entered the magnificent port of Car- thagena about five o'clock in the evening. The vessel was not long in resuming her voyage, and I had to feel the regret of separating from those persons whose amiable society had so agreeably lessened the tediousness of the passage. The hope of soon penetrating into the Cor- dilleras, by reviving my taste for land travel- ling, had determined me not to proceed any further by sea ; I remained at Carthagena. Upon arriving in the town, I had to guard against those favourable prepossessions which are RKPUBLIC OF COLOMlilA. I I almost always indulged, wlieii coming from off the ocean : all then appears beautiful ; the least verdure seems a parterre ; a miserable hut a pa- lace, and any land a paradise. I, on the con- trary, experienced a very different impression^ and the comparison which I drew between Nor- folk and Carthagena, was by no means favour- able to the towns of South America. Cartha- gena in fact presents the melancholy aspect of a cloister, long galleries, short and clumsy co- lumns, streets narrow and dark, from the too great projection of the terraces which almost prevent the admission of day-light ; the greater part of the houses dirty, full of smoke, po- verty stricken, and sheltering beings still more filthy, black and miserable, such is the picture at first presented by a city adorned with the name of the rival of Rome. However, on enteriug the houses, their construction, singular at first sight, appears afterwards to be well contrived, the object being to admit the circulation of the fresh air. The rooms are nothing but immense vestibules in which the cool air, unfortunately so rare, might be respired with the utmost delight, were it not for the stings of thousands of insects, and for the bats whose poisonous bites are not only more painful, but are even said to be ve- nemous. A table, half-a-dozen wooden chairs, a mat bed, a large jar, and two candlesticks generally compose the whole stock of furniture 12 TRAVELS IN THE of these habitations, which are built of brick and covered in with tiles. Two sieges, which Car- thagena has undergone, have ruined the re- sources of the majority of its inhabitants. Carthagena is very strong, and of vast ex- tent ; 9000 men at least would be required to defend it at all points. The immense cisterns contained within its walls are justly objects of admiration ; and the water preserved in them is excellent. Carthagena is therefore rather a for- tified than a commercial town, and will entirely cease to be the latter, when it is no longer the entrepot of Panama. At a distance of two hun- dred leagues from the equator, its temperature is hot and unhealthy, and the yellow fever makes frequent ravages there. The population of Carthagena, about 18,000 souls, is for the most part, composed of people of colour, the greater proportion of whom are sai- lors or fishermen. Many keep shops for the sale of mercery or eatables, others follow useful trades ; they display a nascent industry, which, to prosper, perhaps only requires encouragement and enuilation. Their shell-works are beautiful, they are skilful jewellers, good carpenters, ex- cellent shoemakers, tolerable tailors, indifferent joiners, black rather than whitesmiths, masons destitute of all ideas of proportion, and bad painters, but impassioned musicians. The dangers of the sea, an industry often REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 13 ptalsed, and always well paid, liave inspired the people of colour with a pride, which often gives occasion for complaint. Their petulance and vivacity form a singular contrast with the in- difference and mildness of those who are called whites, so that, notwithstanding their idleness, they appear active and laborious. The contra- band trade is exclusively confined to them, and the heartiness with which they engage in it, is a reproach to those whose duty it is to put a stop to the illicit traffic. The women of colour, the offspring of ne- gresses and white men, are tall, and much more agreeable than the mulattos of our Antilles who are generally too corpulent ; daughters of the Indians and negroes, their physiognomy possesses greater delicacy and expression. If, on the one hand, the races become more enervated under the tropics as they become fairer, on the other, their personal appearance is improved ; thus it is, that the female mulattos are very inferior in beauty to the white, and lose much when seen near them, which often happens with the Spa- niards, in whose churches there are no privi- leged places as in those of the United -States. With the Spaniards, all pray to God in common, without regard to colour, and an insurrection would doubtless be the consequence, should the following notice be officially affixed at the church doors : TV> (lay instruction for men of colour. 14 TRAVELS IN THE On the 1st of January, 1823, I prepared for my departure to Santa-Fe de Bogota. The alarm every where inspired by the proximity of Mora- les, at that time master of Maracaibo, had pre- vented my setting out earlier. As soon as I was assured that the Spanish general was not ap- proaching Rio-Magdalena, I applied to the go- vernor for horses. This officer sent in search for them in every direction. As the army of Montillo, tlie patriotic chief, was being re- mounted, the country people kept their animals concealed in the woods, in order to escape the requisitions ; some however, were at length dis- covered, and notwithstanding the well founded complaints of their owners, were brought to me harrassed, and worn out with hunger and fatigue. In the mean time, while trusting too much to my muleteer, I was engaged in preparing for my journey, the poor beasts were tied up in a court- yard, wliere they remained three whole days without a blade of grass to support nature, so that, when unconscious of their wants, I began my journey, I met with continual interruptions from the wretched animals dying every instatit upon the road from exhaustion. The heat was most inten- se, and we were with difficulty making our way through the woods, when I heard a voice beliind me exclaim in French : Monsieur, oil allez-vous I The question and the language in which it was expressed, made me turn my head, and I saw RK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 15 a youn;^ man spnrrin<^ on his horse in order to overtake me : after having- answered liis ques- tion, he anticipated my enquiries, by informing me that he was born at St. Etienne en Forest, that he was by trade a gunsmith, and liad come to Columbia witli the hope of making his fortune, but all his calculations had proved erroneous. After mentioning some other particulars, he pro- posed accompanying me ; I willingly accepted his offer, and had no reason to regret doing so ; for perceiving how much I was plagued with my horses, he rendered me considerable service, both by assisting the muleteer and urging on the horses which lagged behind. We passed by Ter- nera, and conversing as we proceeded, upon the robberies committed a short time before upon this road by deserters, arrived safely at Turba- co, much fatigued with our first day's journey. A letter of recommendation which the in- tendant at Carthagena had given me to all the alcaides, insured me a good reception atTurbaco, the alcaid procured me a lodging at the house of one of the principal citizens ; he was a painter, a title uniformly assumed by the daubers of that country ; my host however shewed me a thousand civilities. According to the travelling custom of Spa- nish Americans, I had provided myself with a kettle, a frying-pan, and all the ntensil and provisions not procurable on the road. I 16 TRAVELS IN THE had also one of those beds brought from Spain, generally esteemed so very convenient from their being contained in a small trunk, easily carried by the beast of burden. I therefore caused my host but little trouble ; my bed was spread out in one of the best rooms of the house. All night long, I felt it very cool, a proof that this place is very healthy for Europeans, who, from fear of the climate of Carthagena, should remain here till their vessels are ready to sail. Turbaco is only six leagues from Carthagena, which renders a residence in this village doubly agreeable from the facility afforded of being quickly in the centre of business. I left Turbaco the next day, the alcade had procured me two saddle-horses, in lieu of the wretched beasts of the preceding day. Not- withstanding the excessive heat, we arrived at an early hour at Ajona ; I presented myself at the alcades, the only attention I received was an order for lodging upon one of his subordina- tes. Wlien I asked the alcade to procure horses, he replied, that it was impossible before the fol- lowing day; this was a very great disappointment. My host, to whom I mentioned my embar- rassment instantly dispatched some of his people into the country, and before four o'clock my bag- gage was all loaded. A glass of rum testified my gratitude to this worthy man, and I per- ceived that among the christians of America, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 17 l)otl) services and gratitude are obtained with tliis liquor, as they are among- the Mahometan negroes of Africa, by tobacco. Night soon sur- prised us, and our progress was very uncertain. After having wandered a long time in the woods, the assistance of a beautiful moonlight enabled us to recover our track ; and, at nine o'clock at night, we were on the banks of the Dique, a branch of the Magdalena, by which Cartha- gena is approached in the rainy season. When I crossed it, its waters were very low, and yet reached to our saddles. Neither bridge nor ferry had yet been established on this canal, although these are to be found in other places far less difficult; the traveller has, however, less to complain of the inconvenience of the ford, than of the musquitoes which infest it. It is in vain to hasten from these desolate shores, these formidable insects are again met with at JVIa- hates, a village containing about two hundred inhabitants, where to sleep is absolutely impos- sible. We both rose before day-break, in order to leave as quickly as possible this place of suffer- ing; and, at seven o'clock, passed through Santa Crux, about three leagues farther on : this village is composed of twenty huts belonging to negroes, who are cultivators of cotton. It is singular, that the negroes, who have brought into America so many customs, and even utensils and instru- ments belonging to the countries whence they c 18 TRAVELS IN THE were taken, have no where given a ronncl form to their ajoupas, which are all square. At Ariando, the alcaid received us in his hut, constructed with hurdles of rushes, and plastered over with mud mixed with straw. Near this place, we met a government cou- rier, the bearer of an order to the governor of Carthagena, for the transportation of three hun- dred Spaniards. This man was very angry at my muleteer, who, speaking of the capital, had said Santa Fe, instead of Bogota. Fortunately, however, the quarrel here ended. We discovered Barranca from the top of the coast on the decli- vity of which this town is built. I lodged there at the house of an old Peruvian, whose services in the cause of liberty had been so important, that he flattered himself with obtaining the situ- ation of director of the posts at Carthagena, the emoluments of which amount to 10,000 francs.* Although on the road from Carthagena to Barranca, there are neither rugged mountains to climb, nor deep rivers to cross, yet the suffo- cating heat, and the thin and burning air re- spired in the forests he has to traverse, cause much suffering to the European traveller. It is true, that, to make up for these evils, he is sure to meet with hospitality ; nor is it a trifling advan- tage to find, in the deserts of the New World, a * About £375 sterling. RR PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 19 lodging, a kitchen, and the power of procuring, at a small expense, fowls, eggs, and bread ; beef is very seldom to be met with. With a few exceptions, I had very little reason to be satisfied with the alcaids. The aspect of these countries is interesting for the admirers of wild and savage scenery. Trees of immense height, and a healthy vegeta- tion, cover the whole country ; and the shade thus afforded would be delicious, could it be penetrated by the cool zephyrs. The mahagua (bombax) is especially woitliy of engaging the traveller's attention : the trunk of this tree is very lofty, and bears upon its top a foliage ex- tremely thick. The fruit contains a woolly sub- stance, which the negroes gather very carefully for the purpose of stuffing their pillows. But few things have been planted on these vast tracts bv the hand of man ; a few cotton and mace fields, a few feet of indigo, compose the whole of their agricultural riches. Under a kind master, the negro, who with the mulatto is the most frequently met with, gives himself up to the idleness, to which he is invited by the heat of the equinoctial line, and the multiplicity of his reli- gious festivals. Bound to pay his landlord a fixed and moderate rent, he is punctual in discharging it, as much labour is not required to obtain its amount. Thus, in the space which separates Barranca from the seas, a territory is found, c 2 20 TRAVELS IN THE which is cultivated and inhabited similarly to those which 1 had ti-a versed in Africa ; I should even have been sometimes tempted to believe that I was still travelling- upon that continent, had I not every where seen the autliority in the hands of the whites, or of people who aftect that title, without possessing- any real right to it. The road, although convenient enough, is not very level ; the ground is hilly, so that the tra- veller is frequently ascending and descending-. As this road is, during the dry season, the prin- cipal line of communication between the capital and the coast, its traffic is considerable ; yet notwithstanding, no rich towns are to be met with ; there are a few cattle, but in this season they are very poor. All animals in the tropical plains, like the plants, require the rains to invi- gorate them ; these being over, they again droop and languish. Jaguars, monkeys, and parrots, make the air re-echo with their cries ; and vast numbers of stags and wild hogs people the woods. Nothing picturesque is to be found in these extensive forests, the dull uniformity of which is only now and then varied by numerous tribes of flowers. Upon approaching the Magdalena, the prospect becomes more inviting ; the long tracts of granite (gres) which impart such a sombre character to the road from Carthagena to Barranca disappear ; alluvial lands seem to HE PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 21 invite the inliabltants to bestow a better culti- vation upon them ; the verdure, more frequently watered, is less sickly; while the cattle feedings upon more juicy pastures, are fatter and more prolific. Barranca, the town at which travellers as- cending the Magdalena, embark in the dry season, is thinly peopled, notwithstanding its agreeable situation. If the heat is very intense there during the day, the breeze which occasion- ally rises, refreshes the atmosphere ; nor is this its only advantage, it likewise drives towards the head of the river the immense clouds of musquitoes, from which Barranca is conse- quently freed. The importance which this place at present enjoys, on account of the piraguas* and the asses let out to travellers, will cease as soon as the Dique is rendered navigable at all seasons ; a design intended to be carried into execution. * The piragua is a large canoe, managed with oars, about 30 feet long and 4 broad in the middle. Each piragua has two masts and two square sails. Tiie rowers are called Bogus. — Translator. 22 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER II. Departure from Barranca — Village of Teneriffe — Sembrano^Isle San Pe- dro—Pinto — Santa Anna — Monpox — ^The Governor of Monpox — Rlar- ^rita — Guamo — Penon — Banko — Sierra-Ocana — Regidor — Rio-Viejo — Morales — Vadillo — The Inhabitants of the Magdalena — Boca Rosa- rio^San Pablo — The Point of Barbacoa — Garapata — Angustura — Nare. To accomplish our journey to Bogata, it was necessary to ascend the Magdalena ; and al- though the navigation is dangerous, and requires a month to accomplish it, I considered it pre- ferable to the journey over-land. Before em- barking, I took the opinion of my host, who gave me his advice in a few words, and painted the sufferings I should have to endure in the blackest colours. The first proof of his not having been guil- ty of any exaggeration, was in beholding tlie five sailors, hired to conduct my piragua, and who were completely inebriated. There was something very designing in their savage coun- tenances, but this I afterwards found belonged rather to their peculiar employment, than to any thing particularly wicked in their dispo- sitions. Thanks to the care of the old Peru- vian, my arrangements were promptly concluded. REPUBLIC OK COLORUJIA. 23 By five o'clock all my effects were on boiii-d my fragile bark ; and my bogas, as they call the mariners of the Magdalena, bade their adieu to Barranca chaunting the litanies of the Vir- gin. In consequence of their intoxication, at every thrust which these boatmen gave with their poles, to push forwards the piragua, they staggered and fell one over the other into the water, so that it was seven o'clock before we passed Barranca-Nueva, which I had recently quitted. At half-past eight we stopped at Oiou- gar. The next morning, we again started before the rising of the sun, and by the time it ap- peared, beheld with delight a charming vil- lage, to which its name Buena-Vista, signifying a delightful prospect, is certainly well applied. We thence glided along between the verdant banks of a river, which, besides its magnitude, presented me vvitlj many other traits of resem- blance to the Senegal. The solitude of the forests on its uncultivated borders, the heat that we experienced, and the black human beings who, at considerable intervals, were seen seated under their cabins of reeds surrounded by fields of maize, or, cleaving the current of the river in hollow trees, transported me in imagin- ation to the wilds of Africa. The negro of the Magdalena does not, how- ever, possess the manly courage, the bold intre- 24 TRAVELS IN THE pidity, and the muscular form of the inhabitant of Senegal; neither has he that blind confi- dence in the protection of his God, with which a scrap of paper purchased of an impostor of a priest, inspires the other. The African, rely- ing on the efficacy of such a talisman, neither dreads the gripe of the crocodile, nor the venom of the snake ; he throws himself without dread into the water, and penetrates without inquie- tude into the deepest thickets. The degenerate black of the Magdalena is every where in dread of meeting with an enemy, and never forgets the spot that lias been fatal to an imprudent being. " Here," said one of my bogas to me, " a man and his ass were devoured by a ser- pent : there, a boga fell a prey to a cayman, and in that place, a jaguar tore an infant to pieces;" — and such are the frightful recollec- tions afforded by every part of the ,\Iagdalena. The African, on the contrary, when amid his native streams recites nothing but tlie sanguinary contests sustained by man against ferocious ani- mals, and the victories which crowned his fana- tical valour. Without regarding the danger we ran of encountering the partisans of Morales, we kept upon the shore of Santa-Martha, in order to avoid the dangerous currents of the other side of the river ; and, after having proceeck'd three leagues beyond Tcneriffe, making our wliole RKPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. liO day's voyage thirty leagues, we took up our abode for the night upon a sandy spot of shore in the province of Carthagena. The labours of my bogas were now exces- sively painful ; from the river becoming very nar- row, the current was much increased in violence, and could only be surmounted by keeping close in shore, and hauling ourselves along by the branches of the trees. \^^e here experienced some gales from the north, that greatly tem- pered the heat, which we found excessive during that part of the night wiien they cease to blow ; on the contrary, from two o'clock in the morning to the rising of the sun, the cold was so piercing, that I was unable to sleep. We were here no longer solitary possessors of the river ; for, since the last evening, we were gratified with the sight of fishermen and crocodiles vying with each other in giving chase to the fishy tribe. At two o'clock, we passed Sembrano, and the island of San Pedro ; and, taking the right branch of the stream, enjoyed a delicious prospect. The isle of San Pedro is entirely co- vered with trees, whose branches serve as a refuge for thousands of parroquets ; the variegated plu- mage of the macaws forms an agreeable contrast to the gloomy green of the trees, while the shrill cries of these birds somewhat relieve the silence of this peaceful part of the river. In these so- litudes, man might find an agreeable retreat 26 TRAVELS IN THE where the soil, enriched by the inundations of the river, would largely recompense his labours ; the situation is also favourable in a commer- cial point of view, as it is a convenient distance from Barranca and Monpox. On quitting this asylum of peace, we again found ourselves ex- posed to the currents of the river, and not with- out danger from its rocks and shoals. A Pro- montory formed of vast cliffs, against which the waters of the Magdalena were precipitated with violence, in particular, caused a current which we surmounted with much hazard and difficul- ty, and it was ten at night before we had finished our labours. A sand bank, as usual, was our place of repose. Little accustomed to the course of life to which one is condemned on the waters of the Magdalena, the neighbourhood of serpents and caymans, the bites of mosquitoes, and the icy cold occasioned by the dews and the humidity of the soil prevented me from sleeping the whole of the night ; but when use had fortified me against these inconveniences, the necessity of taking rest made me disregard them. When a person is witness of the fatigues which the mariners of the Magdalena undergo, he restrains himself, however anxious he may be to proceed with more expedition, from uttering any complaints, or from being vexed at the frequent delays. The bogas make a practice of stopping as REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 27 often cis possible ; to day they thought it neces- sary to dig up some turtle's eggs; but after all their trouble, they were unsuccessful, and the fruit of their labours was a few dozen eggs of the cayman, which were very properly destroyed: scarcely had they made this sacrifice, when they had the happiness of meeting a fisherman with his piragua laden ; my generosity was instantly ap- pealed to, and I had an opportunity of displaying it at a trifling expense, for with a couple of reals I purchased a dozen large fish which we found quite sufficient for several meals. Little alarmed by the perils, with which we had been informed, we should be menaced on the side of the province of Santa Martha, we con- tinued coasting along that shore, stopping a few minutes at Pinto to purchase some tobacco and sugar-canes ; commodities which, in this place, are of a superior quality, and in great abund- ance. — My bogas, always anxious to obtain some turtle's eggs, fancied they should be more suc- cessful than before, upon a sand bank at a little distance from Pinto, but were again disappointed. A few cayman's eggs were found and were broken against the side of the piragua, under the eyes of one of these reptiles: his muzzle appeared above the water close to the edge of the river, nor did he quit us until the work of destruction was finished. Leaving upon our right that branch of the river which leads to Saragossa, we entered 28 TRAVELS IN THK that which goes to Honda, and before night were in sight of Santa Anna. When daylight began to appear, we found ourselves at Monpox, and landed over frag- ments of the quay with which the banks of the river had been scattered, a great part of it having been thrown down by the stream. When I attained the top, I was conducted to the gover- nor's residence, across a square that appeared tolerably regular. — The letter of recommenda- tion which I had brought with me, procured me many civilities, and the offer of a lodging, which I accepted. The governor, not confining himself to these attentions, would have me, in the evening, go over the town on horseback with him. He seemed anxious that I should examine the pre- parations he had made for defense against any attack on the part of Morales. I eulogized the hill with which he had fortified an open town, as it properly deserved, and my praises appeared to give him great satisfaction. " Here, he first told me, was a number of houses, surrounded by a thick wood, all of which have disappeared ; for I have set fire to the whole, to give me a clearer view of the approach of our enemy." " These ditches," said he, " will stop his cavalry, while mine, on the contrary, supported by my infan- try, will make dreadful havoc among his troops; and my sloops of war, will pour in a terrible fire RKPUHLIC or COLOMBIA. 29 upon his vessels." — It was in vain that I used my best efforts to discover what he wished to show uie, for about forty horsemen quite naked, en- camped in the middle of a field under a thatched shed, with two hundred militia, quartered in an ancient college of the Jesuits, composed all his army ; and five boats with one gun to each, formed the muster of this redoubtable marine. The town is not destitute of interest on ac- count of its position. The streets are of a con- venient breadtli, and some are even furnished with paved foot-ways. The houses though low, are regularly built, and the bars of the windows, being made of iron, have a less clumsy appearance than those of Carthagena, where they are made of wood. Constructed in a manner the most con- venient for enjoying as much coolness as possible, very little ingenuity is applied to furnishing the interior with light, for the insides of all the houses are pervaded by long low galleries into which the rays of the sun never penetrate. Although the commercial relations of Monpox have lost much of their importance, they still retain a certain de- gree of interest ; in fact, by the way of Ocana, this place receives the tobacco, sugar, flour, and cocoa of Pampluna and Cuenta. Antioqua trans- mits it gold, and 8anta-Fe the produce of the upper Magdalena ; thus Monpox is still really a place of much consequence. 30 TRAVELS IN THE The climate is burning, the thermometer ranging- from 25" to 30° ; the inhabitants conse- quently pass the evenings seated in the streets, to breathe the fresh air, and to escape the stings of the mosquitoes. The sky is constantly cloudy, and scarcely a day passes without showers ; the nights, on the contrary are beautifully clear and truly delicious. It is then, a great pleasure to promenade the streets, and observe the lively par- ties whicli present themselves before the doors of the houses. Loud bursts of laughter are heard on every side, in which the passenger takes part without the least ceremony. Far from this familiarity being offensive, it gives great satis- faction, for the frankest cordiality presides at these meetings. Thus passes the life of the in- habitants of Monpox ; the day is spent in their hammocks, the night in the street, and nothing would trouble their peaceable existence, were they not afflicted with goitres which disfigure them in a horrible manner ; without this infirmity, which usually attacks them at the age of thirty or forty, they would possess an agreeable figure, though indeed with less lively expression than the inhabitants of Carthagena, and with less of that soft-coloured tint which distinguishes the natives of Bogota. The manner of living of the people of Monpox, differs little from that which the inhabitants of the tierras calieiUas of RK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. ,') I South Aincrcal liave adopted. — All classes liave a destructive fouduess for ardent spirits ;* ne- vertheless, the good folks of Monpox drink no- thing- but water with their meals ; they are great eaters of pork, and to such an extent is their passion for pigs carried, that many females take a pleasure in feeding these disgusting ani- mals, and teaching them to follow, like so many dogs. The delays which I experienced from the fetes with which they celebrated the taking of Santa Martha from the Spaniards, terminated on the 27th. ; but the moment of my departure was marked by many untoward accidents. I had en- gaged six boatmen, but only five made their appearance ; one of them, as I was informed, had been taken ill, and had spent part of the money I had paid him in advance. — My piragua was caulked with the fat of the cayman, and it was consequently impossible to sleep without running the risk of being poisoned by the infectious odour it exhaled. They procured me another ; it wanted refitting, which was soon accomplished ; but when we had got a little up the river, the water penetrated in such quantities, as obliged us to make for the shore as fast as we could. At last the obliging disposition of one of the * They divide the day into different portions consecrated to drinking, which they stile, fas siete, las onze, las dos, las quatro, 8fc. Sfc. so that, before night, each man has emptied his bottle of brandy. 3'2 TRAVELS IN THR inliabitaiits who lent me his piragua, enabled me to start by the middle of the day. These an- noyances I mention only to give some idea of the impediments that arrest the progress of every traveller in Spanish America. At every instant my bogas were stopping at tlie foot of the habitations which cover the isle on which Monpox is built. These dwellings, the plantations of banana-trees, and the light built barks returning from fishing, or carrying to the town the produce of their soil, so much animate this part of the river, that one would believe one had left the Magdalena, so mournfully distinguished for its frightful solitudes, and had entered upon the stream of some richly cultivated country. We halted at niglit at a village called Mar- garita, for the purpose of procuring a boga, as a substitute for the one who had fallen sick; I was shewn a strong young man, but it was not without difficulty that I could persuade him to follow me, when he found that thev were ne- groes who had come with me from Monpox ; so much was he prejudiced against them. The next day we passed Guaina, situated upon the shore of Santa Martha, and in the evening we ran the piragua upon a bank of sand, an asylum where henceforth I was accus- tomed to pass my nights. I had come to some unpleasant explanations with my watermen, who dissatisfied with labour- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 33 ing- until the close of the day, had talked of quitting me, but I succeeded partly by menaces, more by promises in appeasing them. This mutinous disposition of theirs is certainly not very encouraging-, for they frequently abandon the traveller when they are discontented with too rigorous a service, and take refuge in the first inhabited place they come to, where they are sure of finding friends and protectors. At five o'clock in the morning we passed below Penon, and after having stopped a few moments in this village, came in sight of Banko : about mid-day we discovered Sierra- Ocana. From an excess of zeal, or perhaps from the restlessness occasioned by the bites of the mos- quitoes, the bogas sang their hymn to the Virgin, and set off again at midnight. By five we had passed Regidor, andat seven o'clock, leaving upon our right that branch of the Magdalena which leads to Ocana, we entered upon that of Mo- rales. At Rio-Viejo 1 found the heat much less than at Monpox ; the sky continually charged with vapours, had a different tint from that of the plains. We were already within the in- fluence of the Cordilleras, and I was much sur- prised at finding the cocoa and palm trees, in a country nearly temperate, upon the banks of a mild and tranquil river, and in a deep and black earth, while every where else they are D 34 TRAVKLS IN THE only to be met with upon the Standy borders of the sea. By eight o'clock, the next day, we reached INIorales^ a large village shaded by cocoa trees and situated upon an island of the same name ; the neighbouring' country produces a great quan- tity of palm wine. The white population of this place have established some inns, constructed of hurdles of bamboos, in order tliat the light and air may penetrate them, and containing two or three benches with some bull's -hides stretched upon wooden frames for beds. Stopping no longer at Morales than was necessary to purchase some provisions, we soon discovered the mountains on which Zimitri elevates itself upon one of the branches of the Magdalena, which unites itself to that of Mo- rales near this place. On the first of February we were in sight of Vadillo, by six o'clock in the morning, and at intervals I perceived some isolated cot- tages. I stopped at several, being desirous of studying the people who inhabit the borders of the Magdalena ; and 1 particularly remarked that they live concentrated in a family, and seem to shun every other sort of society. Bogas advanced in years, who, weary of navigating the river, have become desi- rous of leaving the fruits of their painful la- bours to their children, with some enfranchised REPUBLIC OF COLOxVIBIA. 35 slaves and deserters belonging to all races or rather to all colours, have established them- selves upon these unwholesome shores ; but, though leading such isolated lives, with respect to one another, they have not entirely renounced the society of men. Boats and piraguas fre- quently stop near their dwellings, and pur- chase the surplus of their crops ; yet, notwith- standing the vegetable production is very abun- dant, so many bananas are demanded for a single dollar, that they cannot procure sufficient to supply themselves with clothes. These people are therefore very poor, and exceedingly unhappy, since out of the ten pla- gues of Egypt, they have at least five ; — the putridity of the water — ulcers — reptiles — large flies — and the death of their eldest born ; in fact, they rear their children with great difficulty. If nature, however, has thus poisoned the air respired by the inhabitant of the banks of the Magdalena, and tainted the pleasures he tastes, if she has filled the place in which he lives with poisonous animals, she has every where spread around the healing plants of which, he well knows the use, and which alleviate his evils if they do not entirely cure them. The solitary families which people the borders of this river, are usually composed of the husband, the wife and two or three children ; it is very rare indeed that any old people are to be found. Tiie D 2 36 TRAVELS IN THE evils wliicli these people suffer in common with all the mixed breeds between the tropics shorten the duration of life considerably. The Arabs, the Indians, and the Negroes, when they are not obliged to work too hard, are never ill/ The houses in which these poor creatures dwell, are formed of reeds and bamboos, and are generally erected in the midst of some spreading woods, where they content themselves with clear- ing a little spot for planting some bananas*, sugar-canes, cocoa-nut trees, ananas, papayas, and pinuntas, with some flowers to ornament the heads of the women. The wood which surrounds the house, is not an inextricable labyrinth, for it abounds in paths, known only to the proprietor. Through them he pursues those animals, to their distant retreats, which not long since, prowled near the site of his dwelling, or makes his way to his field of maize, which is always out of the reach of inundations. There often he fells his piragua, or cuts down the rafters of his cabin ; and without any other help than what is afforded by rollers, when his work is completed conveys it to the banks of the river. * The bananas are the manna of the Americans ; when green, they boil them ; and when ripe, they are a very sweet fruit, which they roast and eat with much pleasure. UKPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 37 Twelve fowls compose liis barn-yard, and he is considered a liappy man, if he can in- crease this stock, with a cow, or even a pig; but he seldom possesses the means, and his sole support is bananas, fish, and sometimes game. Two or three dogs trained to the chase, with some cats, devour tlie remains of his frugal meat. He generally possesses a cylinder, to manu- facture guarapo, a syrup of fermented sugar, and a frame for weaving of mats, with some nets, darts, and shells of the turtle, which at one time serve for plates, and another for seats ; to this list of his utensils may be added, a hatchet, a sabre, some calabashes, and earthen pipkins, and he is considered as a very careful, provident man, if his store contains a few pieces of smoke- dried meat, and a few jars filled with maize. The life of the inhabitant of the Magdalena, is not one of inactivity, depending solely upon him- self, he expects no aid from society, and all must be provided by his care ; he ought to be simul- taneously an architect, a hunter, a fisher, and a clever workman. Sometimes he traverses the woods in pursuit of the jaguar, which perhaps has deprived him of one of his dogs, and at other times, euibarks upon the stream, to pierce the fish with his darts or enclose them in his nets. Thus he is never at rest ; nor are these all his cares, when the overflowing of the river inundates his plantations, he is seen se- 38 TRAVELS IN THE curing his piragua to the trees of his garden, and embarking all his family ; then along those paths, which a few days before he had been chasing the deer, he conducts them to his field of maize, and hastily erects some covering to protect them from the torrents of rain. The husband does not always alone support the burthen of the labours of his family ; his wife sometimes shares them with him. She works in the fields, and accompanying her husband a-fishing, she steers his little bark. Afflicting wants often discourage the souls of these un- fortunate beings. The father falls the victim of long infirmities, the infant, of the evils which belong to early life, and a raging fever cuts off the mother of the family ; thus the miseries which they undergo in procuring a subsistance, are heightened by the sorrows of final separation. Unable to live alone, the man allots a few months to the griefs of widowhood, then descends the river in his piragua, and presents himself at some village to offer to some new spouse his many fatigues and privations, but with them a heart which is wholly her's. For many days past the mountains had made their appearance to the west, and the number of the caymans visibly diminished : this circum- stance indicated that the heat was less ardent, though the temperature was still so great, that we always halted at noon, and passed some time REPUBLIC OF COLO.MIUA. ,':J9 under the natural slielters that were I'ornied over the river by the majestic ceibas, and various other trees of thick foliage. Although our piragua was very large, being- about 48 feet long, we took care whenever we stopped to draw it up upon the land, and in that situation took our repose with more tranquillity. If the left bank of the river had been less embarrassed with the trunks of trees, the plantations of bananas which cover it, would have induced us to coast along it ; but we should have been exposed to so many dangers, that we determined keeping upon the right. Amidst the solitudes of these waters we encountered a luggage boat laden with soldiers, who were descending the river to the mournful sound of an Indian flute. Upon leaving Vadillo, we ar- rived at the common boundary of the provinces of Santa- Martha and Cundinaniarca, and a sur- prising change in the appearance of the country forced itself upon our attention ; for bananas and cocoa trees were every where to be seen, and I experienced an infinite satisfaction, at finding these traces of the labours of man in places which seemed exclusively the patrimony of fe- rocious animals. At five o'clock, we passed through the Bocca- Rosario, so they call a part of the river where it is extremely confined, and consequently flows with great rapidity. At eight, when we were 40 THAVELS IN THE established as usual upon our bank of sand, I said to myself : it is now midnight at Paris and nearly all my countrymen are also taking* their repose ; but, fatigued with a thousand varied pleasures, and feasted with exquisite dainties, they refresh themselves on beds of down ; vigi- lant guards insure their safety ; winter and the industry of man protect them from the my- riads of insects with which I am devoured; — it freezes with them, yet they enjoy a comfortable warmth, while I, but a few degrees from the line, am almost perished with cold. — We still continued to struggle against the current of the river, which increased in rapidity in proportion as we approached its source ; this velocity of the stream was also occasioned by the promontories which, from place to place, arrested its course : these projections of the land, were particularly remarkable by the brilliant colours of the different strata disposed in regu- lar beds. The day having been passed in great exertion, we stopped at five o'clock opposite San Pablo. In the evening, I ascended the banks of the river, entered the village and paid a visit to the alcaid. A field of bananiers, a piragua for fishing, some dogs for hunting, an indifferent fowling piece, and two hammocks composed all his wealth ; a pair of drawers, a linen shirt and a straw hat all his stock of clothing. He REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 41 Wiilked bare-foot, but nevertheless enjoyed in the village every imaginable prerogative : for, in fact, besides the right of hearing and determi- ning causes, in the same manner as our justices of the peace, it was his office to regulate the weights and measures, than which nothing could be more arbitrary; a parcel of stones, whose value is perfectly conventional, serves as weights, while the scales are made of two calabashes often very unequal.— It is also his duty to levy the taxes and conscriptions. Notwithstanding the necessity which we ex- perienced in this frightful navigation of frequently bathing on account of the heat occasioned by the sun, by the bites of the mosquitoes, and the num- ber of men crowded together in so small a space, I began to take this exercise with less pleasure after we got at some distance from Morales. — In- deed, both the air and the water were extremely cold, and I experienced a disagreeable sensation every time I went into the river. — This was not tlie only change I remarked in these higher parts of the stream : the sky was so continually covered with clouds that we seldom got a sight of the moon. — We no longer experienced those resplen- dent nights of the tropics in which the light was almost as brilliant as that of the day. On the contrary, thesummitsof the high mountains, which surrounded us, were so envelloped in vapours as to be entirelv hidden from our view. Thus, in spite of 42 TRAVELS IN THE the zealous efforts of my bogus we seldom proceed- ed during- the night, and even in the forenoon the fogs were frequently so thick, that it was with difficulty we could distinguish objects at two boats length from our piragua. On the other hand, the greater mildness of the temperature, produced an effect upon the productions of na- ture, that were by far more agreeable to the eyes of an European. In fact, the ground was better covered, and more variegated ; tlie most bril- liant flowers spread themselves over the banks of the river, and amidst them the maravilla formed garlands of the most splendid purple. — The trees were stronger though less elevated, and being fixed in the earth by deeper roots, a less number of trunks impeded the navigation of the river. I liad above all an opportunity of contem- plating the lofty summit of Barbacoa ; but the recollection of the battles fought there by the Spaniards and the Independents destroyed all its charm, by reflecting that the pure and limpid streams which wash its base had been polluted with blood, and that, in these delicious solitudes visited once only by men, they met but for mu- tual destruction. On the 7th February we saw St. Bartholo- mew on our right : a bad road leads from this village to the province of Antioquia ; we were now soon amid the dark and muddy waters, which a neighbouring stream brings in tribute to the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 4^ Magdalena, and whose fetid odour indicates itsun- healtliy quality. Qiiittin^^ these pestilential waves, we iiad to double a promontory called Reniolino Grande ; the waters here precipitate themselves with a violence dangerous for boats^ which do not always insure their safety by occasionally g^rappling to the rocks, branches and roots which are found along its banks ; passing- all these dangers in safety, we arrived before night-fall at Garapata. The inhabitants of this hamlet have the reputation of being very patriotic. By vir- tue of this, my bogas were desirous of establish- ing a system of agrarian law, which did not at all meet the views of the citizens of Garapata, who were obliged to be on the alert all night, and watch the motions of my sailors. The latter indeed, drawing the inference from tlieir politi- cal logic, insisted upon being furnished gratis with fowls, oranges, bananas and even salt. " Between friends and brothers," said they, " all should be had in common." The principle was not admitted. Upon which, changing their sys- tem, they unknown to me threatened the inhabi- tants with the whole weight of my indignation, which with these poor wretches was not an idle menace, as I had been made to pass for an officer of the republic. — By this stratagem, my bogas succeeded in obtaining many necessaries. We were now to cross the Angustura, a very dangerous strait. Our first care was to twist two 44 TRAVELS IN THE or three ropes into one, next to examine the pi- ragua, and repair the damage it had received near Garapata, and lastly to take on board fresh poles. When all was ready we pushed offshore, and in a short time were at the foot of the Angustura. This rock is very lofty, and as it projects far into the river narrows it considerably. It was not without anxiety we found ourselves in the midst of the breakers, where our poles only could be of service to us. The banks of the river are so steep, that no means of grappling are any where to be found. When the water is low, the sailors go with much difficulty and fasten their rope to some tree at a great distance, and by this means escape the danger of being carried away by the impetuosity of the current. There were formerly at Angustura men stationed to verify the passports of travellers ; they were at the same time provided with all that was neces- sary in case of an accident ; at present nothing of the kind exists. The river at the Ang-ustura is very limpid, but the moment this dangerous strait is passed, its waters become again yellow and murky. At a short distance we perceived Nare, to which I soon ascended. Nare is one of the most impor- tant villages of Magdalena. Situated at the dis- tance of five days' journey from Medellin, it has become the most frequented port of the rich pro- vince of Antioquia. Couriers, merchants and REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 45 travellers, all stop there, and cause much bustle and activity. In short it is the entrepot of the cocoas of Magdalena, for the regions of the western Cordilleras, the cocoas being here exchanged for the gold worked in these mountains. The river, which bears the name of Nare, is a canal very commodious forthe transport of merchandize into the interior of the country. 46 TRAVELS IN THR CHAPTER III. Branch of the IVIagdalena— The Miel— Rio Negro— Guarumo—Tlie Pro- montory of Garderiu— The Rocks of Perico—Houda— Description of the Mag-daleua, On our departure from Nare, we directed our course towards the right bank of the river; and hardly had we entered one of its branches, which is called the Tiger, than we lost no time in looking out for some place of shelter ; for the sky was overcast with clouds, the sure presage of a storm, and we were anxious to arrive at some habitation before being overtaken by the night. Both banks of the river were thickly covered with trees, and we almost de- spaired of being able to discover any sandy bank upon which we might land, when we per- ceived a cabin upon the right in the midst of the bushes. Our piragua was quickly pushed towards this asylum, and displacing a canoe which was fastened to some reeds, my bogas substituted ours in its place. As soon as we were securely moored in this harbour, we all jumped on shore, armed completely as if going to take some for- tified place by storm ; and rapidly ascending the RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 47 Steps, which were unequally cut out of the bank of the river, quickly reached the top. Before us, in a court-yard surrounded with bananas, we perceived a sort of shed elevated upon stakes, on which we found a linen bed spread upon a bamboo frame; here and there were a few calabashes ; in one corner were the remains of a fire, and some slices of meat were hung up to dry ; the whole was in a state of such disorder, as plainly indicated the fright that our appearance had occasioned to the proprietor of this habitation ; — every thing was open to our free inspection, for there were neither walls, nor even mats to form an inclosure to this miserable cabin. Our visit had not taken place without exciting the plaintive bowlings of some dogs that guarded the house, to which the master was some time before he paid any attention ; at last he suddenly came forward from one of the thickest parts of the wood that surrounded and shaded his dwelling. He presented himself before us with an air of anxiety which did not escape the notice of the pilot of our party, who took advantage of it to demand some refresh- ment, which was quickly prepared for him. Not contented with this civility, he asked our host, in an arrogant manner, " Are you not a Spaniard ."" which the other denied in so feeble a manner, as to increase the audacity of 48 TRAVELS IN THR the sailor, who thenceforth, in spite of all my intreaties, left him no peace from his impor- tunities. The storm forced us to sup all together under the roof of our entertainer, whose restless vigilance was not contented with ohliging his family to pass the night in the woods, but also prevented him from taking the least repose. He remained outside the hut like a centinel to watch our motions, and to resist, as much as possible, the violence of my bogas. With how many cares did this intrusion of ours poison the hitherto peaceful life of this solitary man ! How little could he have supposed, that in hiding himself upon one of the scattered arms of the Magda- lena, his roof continually exposed to the winds and storms, would afford shelter to guests equally as dangerous ! — Such an event would pro- bably induce him to establish his retreat amidst the dens of the jaguars, whose repose he, in his turn, would thus destroy, to afford him some assurance of his own tranquillity. Our fatigues commenced the next day, but we discovered nothing remarkable until five o'clock, when our attention was taken by a strong smell of musk. My bogas attributed it to the odour of a serpent, but none of us were tempted to examine whether the conjecture was true : if it could have been done without the dread of any dangerous encounter, we should REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 49 have been tempted to make some stay in this phice : it was an isle where the soil, continually fertilized by the inundations of the river, seemed to be more fruitful than elsewhere. The ceibas were more elevated and more majestic, and in place of guarumos, occupied by myriads of flies, of which the trunks thus destroyed incum- bered the navigation, one perceived bowers widely spread, which seemed to invite the traveller to repose himself from the heat of the sun. Here and there we observed with surprise several trees spread out exactly like a fan or an umbrella, similar to those which we meet with in ancient parks ; and thus, tlie playful sport of nature seemed to be the work of man. It was not how- ever in this charming place, perfumed with musk, that my bogas wished to stop, for they gave the preference to a bank of sand. Tliis day, tlie 1st of February, we left, on our right, the river Miel, whose very cold and clear water invited us to fill several jars with it for the remainder of the voyage. Its value seemed to be much more precious, after having had no other drink than the yellow and muddy waters of the Magdalena. — At night we entered Buenavista. Early in the morning, we passed the mouth of the Rio Negro, which issues from the moun- tains of Zipaquira ; we then perceived Guarumo ; 50 TRAVKLS IN THE on the right hank of the river, in the middle of u wood of cocoa-trees. This hamlet seems destined to be much enlarged, if, as is proposed, the road of Bo- gota to the Magdalena should be conducted through it. iNature here becomes more barren, and the branches of the Cordilleras more con- tracted ; the river also gets narrower, and is filled with stones that roll from the tops of the mountains. The currents are here so rapid, that their violence is stemmed with great difficulty. Choaked up between heights covered with rocks, the Magdalena impetuously pours forth its waters through the narrow mouths which it has opened for itself; and if nature did not break the violence of the shock, by the numerous angles which are presented by the projecting arms of the Cordilleras, it would be impossible to navigate the piraguas in the narrow valley through which the river runs, and which is but the declivity of the platform that stretches from Chaguanes to Neustra Senora de la Purificacion. The 13th afforded us but few observations ; before night, however, I was struck with the singular aspect presented by the Cape of Garderia. Similar to all those on the banks of the Magdalena, it is as perpendicular as a vvall, and is composed of three separate layers of clay, forming angles of lively and diversified colours. Enemies of trouble and noise, the caymans usually forsake REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 51 the upper parts of the river ; but we found seve- ral at the foot of Garderia, whose peaceful waters accorded better with their habits. Herons, eg^rets, and other birds, the prey of these amphi- bious animals, occupy the top of this diversified hill. We soon lost view of the Cape of Garderia, and, from the darkness of the night, of the Cer- rania of Garapapi. Before noon, we reached Perico, formed of rocks, against which the water breaks with a roar, and returns back in waves of white foam, as on the borders of the sea. Not being- able to use either the pole or the oar, a boga cast himself into the water, furnished with a rope, and, making the shore, fastened it to the trunk of a tree, that we might be enabled to tow the boat along. This manoeuvre was badly executed, for the cord bi-oke, and the piragua was dashed in the midst of the rocks. The bogas that were with me, seeing this accident, plunged into the water, and saved themselves by swimming ; and, upon arriving ashore, cried out to me that the canoe was lost, and must be abandoned. Being unable to swim, I was obliged to cling to the boat, though it had over- set, and at every jolt I expected it would have been broken to pieces ; this, however, was not the case, and I kept myself above water, which was happily rather shallow, for a little lower down I should certainly have been drowned. i: 2 52 TRAVELS IN THE All my hopes, the fruit of six months labor and patience, were in this boat, and I should have been ruined if the things it contained had been lost, for I had no one to whom I could have addressed myself for help in the situation in which I should have been placed. — Pity is insensible to shipwrecks in a riv^er, and laughs at the recital of the dangers there run. Deafened by the roaring of the waters and incensed by the cries of my fugitive boatmen, I leaped into the water which came up to my chin, and availing myself of an oar which I had seized at the moment of the accident, used it as a lever with which I lifted up the boat ; when the negroes saw me thus employed, they were surprised at my success, and animated by this sentiment afforded me their help, and by our united efforts we got the piragua once more afloat. I then placed myself in it, and my sailors swam to the bank, guiding the boat with an oar, through the middle of the rocks. As soon as we had arrived in safety ashore, we emptied the boat, and found she swam lovv in the water ; many of my effects were lost, and most of the rest were spoilt, but I was too happy in having escaped the danger that had menaced me, to take mucli interest about this loss. I could not, however, forbear reproaching my negroes with their cowardly desertion of me: they were so much ashamed of it, that they could KKI'UBLK OF COLOMBIA. 53 not answer a word. The sun soon dried the boat and we all entered it. But before setting out I took every necessary precaution to prevent a recurrence of our misfortune. Since the acci- dent of tlie morning I had obtained such an au- thority over my men, that I did as I thought pro- per with them. I arrived without any fresh di- saster at Honda, two-and-twenty leagues from Bogota, This town is situated in a confined valley, surrounded on all sides by mountains ; the heat is very suffocating. Two bridges must be crossed before entering it, the last one is thrown over the Guali, an impetuous torrent which falls into the Magdalena. These wooden bridges are boldly constructed upon broken pieces of rock that serve as piers, and wiiich are thrown from the mountains by the force of earth- quakes. That which Honda experienced about fif- teen years ago, has left many traces of its rava- ges. Seveial houses, and even one church are still in ruins, but there yet remain some regular edifices. The streets, which are paved, are formed in a straight line; and the place possesses some importance, because the boats whicli come from the maritime provinces stop here, and dispose of their cargoes that are hence forwaided into tlie interior of the country. A custom-liouse is esta- blished here. I now crossed the other bank of tlie JNI^igda- 54 TRAVELS IN THE lena to get to the road which leads to the capi- tal an d congratulated myself in being able, at last, to bid adieu to my boatmen whom I has- tened to discharge. I was hospitably entertained at the dwel- ling of a custom-house officer, by whose advice I made a bargain with some muleteers, who had the charge of a consignment of tobacco, on ac- count of the government. Our arrangements were soon completed, and being able to depend upon having their mules, I proposed availing myself of the opportunity of pursuing my jour- ney as early as the following day. The Magdalen a issues from the lake of Pa- pas, in latitude l"5'north and longitude 14° west, and in almost all its course flows along the same meridian. The Cauca, whose sources are beyond those of the Magdalena, would offer the same advantages for navigation as this river, did not its bed gradually become narrower as it approaches the place of confluence with the Mag- dalena; a circumstance which renders the course of the Cauca in many parts dangerous and im- practicable. The Magdalena, on the contrary, becomes wider as it recedes from its source. Nature seems to have designedly dug the bed of the Magdalena in the midst of the Cor- dilleras of Columbia, to form a canal of com- munication between the mountains and the sea ; yet, it would have made nothing but an unnavi- RKPLiBLIC" OF C;OL<>MMIA. 55 g^ciblc toncnt, liiul it not stopped its course in HKiny parts, by masses of roek disposed in such a manner as to break its violence. Its waters tiins arrested, flow gently into the plains of the provinces of Santa Martha and Cartha- gena, which they fertilize and refresh by their evaporation. Three very distinct temperatures reign on the Magdalena : the sea breezes blow from its mouth as far as Monpox ; from this town to Morales not a breath of air tempers the heat of the atmosphere, and a man would become a victim to its power, but for the abundant dews which fall during the night from Morales as far as the sources of the Magdalena; the south wind moderates the heat of the day and forms the third temperature. It is these land breezes whicli cause the navigation of the Magdalena to be rarely fatal to Europeans. But though man's exist- ence is not here in immediate peril, he himself does not, on the other hand, enjoy a moment's repose ; along the whole of this river a multi- tude of insects wage a distressing war against liim. Mosquitoes near the sea, and up the coast a small species of fly, cover him with their venomous stings, and when he enters into a cooler region, enormous flies called tabanos glut themselves with his blood. Should he wish to bathe, he fears being de- voured by caymans, and if he venture on shore, he often has to dread the poison of serpents. Nothing 56 TRAVELS IN THE is therefore more alarming than a voyage on the Magdalena. Even the sight is rarely gratified, for the fertile banks of this river, which ought to be covered with cocoa trees, sugar canes, coffee, cotton, indigo and tobacco ; those banks which should present the thirsty traveller with the delicious fruits of the tropics, and be adorned with thousands of beauteous flowers, are covered with thick bushes, bind-weed, and thorns in the midst of which shoot up the cocoa and palm trees. RI5PUULIC OF COLOMBIA. 57 CHAPTER IV. Route from Honda to Boi^ota — Rio Seco — Vciita Grande — Mountain of Surjento — Valley of Guaduas — Billeta — Facatativia — Description of the plain of Bog-ota — Fall of Tequendama — Natural Biidg-c of Pandi. At an early hour on the 15th of February I took leave of my obliging host. After traversing a very thick wood, we kept continually on the ascent till we arrived at a spot from which a pros- pect truly magnificent burst upon our view ; the whole province of Maraquita lay before us, its mountains appearing from the place where we stood, but as insignificant hillocs : we could however distinguish the white houses of Mara- quita.* Much nearer to us lay the town of Honda, the walls of which are washed by the Magdalena, whose verdant banks impart peculiar beauty to the surrounding landscape. One would have supposed it to have been the Seine meand- ring through the rich meadows of Normandy. This beautiful sight however soon vanished as I again struck into the wood, through the breaks of which the Magdalena appeared only a narrow * Almost all the inhabitants of this town arc afflicted with goitres. 58 TRAVELS IN THE Stream of water, which, in a short time, was seen no more. We once more recommenced our ascent, and although I could not view without shuddering- the terrific steepness of the Cordilleras, which I was traversing for the first time in my life, my fears were considerably diminislied when I remarked the intelligence of the mule which bore me. It was truly astonishing to observe the sagacity with which the animal chose the rocks that afforded the surest footing. The mule- teers have an excellent method of treating these animals : in these dangerous passes, they strike them but very seldom, encourage them by their voice, and support them behind when, climbing from rock to rock, they appear as if they would be precipitated every moment into the depths below. We crossed the Rio Seco, stopped a few moments at a venta, and continued crossing numerous streams which intersect the road in every direction ; at length, we arrived at the Venta Grande. The inns of the Cordilleras exact- ly resemble those of Morales ; if nothing is to be had, you have but little to pay. The next day, we had to scale the Sarjento, nor have 1 yet forgotten the labour and fatigue it cost me. Suddenly enveloped in a cold damp fog, so thick as to prevent my distinguishing the men who were before me, we were, for a time, in complete darkness, and I was seized with that extreme lassitude and uneasiness, the REPUBLIC OK COLOMBIA. 59 usual concomitants of this phenomenon so fre- quent in the Cordilleras. Towards noon the fog cleared off, and a few moments afterwards, we met with a stone on which was inscribed, the elevation of the ground above the level of the sea. We were at a height of 870 toises, and had still eighteen leagues to perform before we ar- rived at Santa-F^. The roads now improved, and we soon reached the summit of a mountain, whence we perceived the beautiful valley of Guaduas. I was extremely gratified upon descending to find myself in the midst of verdant meadows, every where intersected by streams, over which were thrown narrow but safe bridges. On my right and left were houses, surrounded by culti- vation and shaded by willows, while numerous flocks of well fed cattle were peaceably grazing the rich pasture; the heat was moderate, being about the temperature of that of the Island of Madeira. We were now at an elevation in which man can enjoy his existence, so that by a descent of not more than 223 toises, nature assumed an aspect entirely different to that which we had observed on the heights we traversed in the morning. The road being level, and in good order, I soon arrived at Guaduas. Tliis town appeared to me very clean, some of its streets are paved and furnished with trottoirs, the square in which the church and other edifices stand, is ornamented 60 TRAVELS IN THE with a fountain, and the outsides of the houses being whitewashed, the appearance of the town is very cheerful. It is difficult for the traveller who has just toiled over the immense mountains of granite, which separate Guaduas from Magda- lena, not to feel a degree of ecstasy upon sud- denly finding himself in a valley, whose tem- perature is so mild, which is watered by limpid streams, and enriched with all the gifts of nature ; gifts which man, however, neglects to improve or even to avail himself of. To the European who has recently left the shores of theMagdalena, the fair complexions of the inha- bitants of this delightful spot, are particularly pleas- ing. He cannot but admire the native grace of the female villagers and the artful simplicity of their rustic dresses in which, perhaps, there is somewhat too much of affectation. It cannot be denied, however, that the American paysannes everywhere excel ours in the facility with which they acquire agreeable and fascinating manners ; their delicate and beautifully turned limbs are never enlarged, nor deformed by labour. Happy in living under so beautiful a climate, the inhabitants of Guaduas treat strangers with great kindness, of which I had a sufficient proof on my arrival, for they appeared delighted at having an opportunity of exercising their hospitality. Guaduas forms a canton composed of seven villages, the population of which may amount RF^ PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. (51 to about fourteen tliousand souls. The ^n-cater part of the lands belong to Senor Acosta, the civil judge of the canton, whose hospitality and benevolent disposition are universal themes of panegyric. The produce of this country consists of rice, bananas, coffee, oranges, and sugar, of the latter article, the yearly crop is said to amount to 40,000 arrobas. At the distance of three days' journey from Guaduas is Palma, a village containing gold, iron, and emerald mines, which it is intended to work. The next day, we discovered Billetta, at an immense distance ; the view of it is very pleasing. This town suffers much from heat, its elevation above the sea not being more than 583 toises. At night, we perceived a cross, the sign of a venta, situated 908 toises above the level of the Ocean. Notwithstanding our anxiety to arrive at Bogota the next day, we only got as far as Facatativa, by noon ; but we had now reached the famous plateau of Bogota. Another spectacle totally different to any I had before seen now presented itself to me. I again found myself in Europe. Upon quitting Facatativa, I suffered considerably from the dust which the wind raises in clouds, and which begrimes the complexion of the inhabitants. I however got free from it before night, and could indulge at my ease the pleasure mingled with astonishment which Crl TRAVELS IN THE I felt at seeing- the husbandmen occupied in tracing deep furrows, with ploughs drawn by oxen, and shepherds driving before them flocks of sheep covered like those in our country with thick fleeces. While contemplating a scene, which so forcibly recalled Europe to my recol- lection, my attention was called off" by long files of mules and oxen laden with grain, coals, and sacks of apples, and others coming from Guaduas, carrying oranges, and tropical fruits. The drivers had a wild and savage appearance, a little opposed to the European character of the surrounding landscape ; I could even have imagined myself suddenly removed to the pla- teaus of Tartary upon seeing these Indians, whose bodies almost naked, offered many points of resemblance with the inhabitants of Eastern Asia. Above ten French leagues separate Facata- tiva from Bogota. I was compelled to travel all night. The cold was very severe, and I suf- fered considerably from it. I did not arrive at Bogota till four o'clock in the morning, on the 20th February. The plain of Bogota, situated in latitude 4*'. 30' north, at an elevation of 1370 toises above the level of the sea, extends sixteen leagues from north to south, and eight from east to west. This plateau, surrounded by lofty mountains, presents a surface almost uniformly level. RRPUUF.IC OF COLOMBIA. 63 The plain of Jio^^ota underwent many dread- lul revolutions, before its inhabitants, the Mos- cas, subjected to one master, had formed a nation united by the same worship. Tiie old men, upon being questioned by the Spaniards, wlio had conquered their country, informed them, that, at a very remote period, the river Funza (Bogota) had overflowed all tlie plain ; and that, seized with aflViglit, the inhabitants fled to the mountains, where they found a secure asylum ; that, in the midst of this friglitful dis- order, a holy man appeared, whose name was Zhue, or Bochica ; that, with his wand, he struck the hardest of the mountains, which immediately opened, and the waters rushing tlirough the mira- culous issue, formed the celebrated fall of Te- quendama. This popular tradition refers to a period when the waters entirely covered the whole plain of Bogota. Nothing is now seen in this place but numerous streams, some ponds, and two rivers, the Comniun, and the Bogota or Funza. It is indeed, in the plain of Bogota, that the traveller finds that new Europe announced to him at Honda when overcome with fa- tigue ; he has no longer cause to fear either the wild beasts or the insects which desolate the countries watered by the Magdalena : upon these heights the cold is fatal to them. But if man does not run the same dangers here as in the 64 TRAVELS IN' THE lower region, he sometimes suffers much by being suddenly transported into a climate, the temperatute of which rarely exceeds 12<^, R. ; for the plain of Bogota is rather sobered by a perpe- tual autumn, than enlivened by the aspect of spring. Apple-trees and willows are the only ones which grow in this plain ; but if the larger vege- tables droop at this altitude, those of Ceres are in uncommon abundance, all the lands are covered with barley, corn, oats, and excellent pastures. It is a sight truly wonderful, to find a country as rich and fertile as that of Beauce, at an eleva- tion which^ in Europe, is covered with perpetual snows, and where man finds it difficult to exist. I did not experience the same admiration as other strangers at the sight of kitchen and flower gardens in some spots of the plains of Bo- gota ; for, in fact, if it should create astonish- ment to find near the equator the vegetables and fruits of Europe, the colour and the flavour of these productions prove that the heat of these cantons is insufficient to bring them to maturity. The roses and pinks lose likewise all their charm, when it is known that their perfume cannot be inlialed for a moment without the organ of scent snffering violent agony from the stings of myriads of imperceptible insects lodged in their petals. Notwithstanding these inconveniences, which may in time be oliviated by more experienced REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 65 cultivators, it must be confessed, that tlie plain of Bogota, fioni its elevation, extent, and pro- digious fecundity, surpasses what the most vivid imagination can conceive of the beautiful. At the end of a few days I fell ill, the ge- neral fate of strangers on their arrival at Bo- gota. My greatest inconvenience was, not being able to leave the house ; but my health gra- dually reestablished itself. The first essay made of my strength, by training myself for future journeys, was to visit the fall of Tequen- dama, which is but four leagues from Bogota, and which, on account of the wonders related of it, is visited by all strangers. I, in consequence, set forward in the month of April, accompanied by two inhabitants of Bogota. We directed our course towards the south-west. The road was tole- rably pleasant as far as Soacha, a village at which travellers generally pass the night, and in the neighbourhood of which are found the fossil remains of elephants. The inn resembles our country public-houses, which is wonderful in this country. The next day, after having coasted the peace- ful Bogota, we crossed it upon a bridge made of rushes, on the other side of which we found the farm of Canoa ; we then commenced an ascent by a road so slippery, that our horses could no longer keep their footing. Till then, we had travelled in a plain partly 66 TRAVELS IN THE inundated, bounded on all sides by arid moun- tains, and having barren hills scattered upon it like islands in the midst of a lake. We were now traversing a country entirely new, covered with lofty trees, the sight of which was very gratifying to us. We were no longer annoyed by the gloomy prospect of the black rocks sur- rounding the plain of Bogota ; on the contrary, on every side were seen vallies, fertile mountains, and little houses embedded in the midst of plan- tations of bananas, whose verdure, softer to the eye, relieved in the most agreeable manner the deeper green of the forests. In the midst of the pleasure afforded us by this view, we saw with anxiety the summits of the mountains hid in the clouds, which were rapidly descending towards the places where they are converted into storm and rain. We therefore urged on our horses. In striking into the marshy woods, which over-shadow the famous fall of Tequendama, our horses became useless to us, and were fast- ened to trees. With the assistance of sticks, we descended the muddy paths by which the wood-cutters make their oxen drag up the wood which they sell in the town. The noise of the fall was heard, but nothing could be seen. After many windings and turnings, we at length found we had lost our way ; not a soul was to be seen who could set us right. At length, one of us REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 67 fortunately perceived a path, the steep descent of which was rendered more practicable by steps made with branches. This rough piece of work- manship led him to hope that men were to be met with. lie descended, but at first dis- covered nothing but a stream and a cavern. He was about to re-ascend, when, to his great sur- prise, he saw a man appear at the entrance of the cavern, who offered to serve as our guide, upon learning our embarrassment. The cavern was a mine dug under the rocks at a great ex- pense, where a few pounds of pit-coal was daily obtained with vast labour. There was only a narrow passage excavated, and no attempt had been made to blast the rock. We were farther from the fall than we had imagined, and, at the risk of sinking a hundred times in the mud, we arrived before Tequen- dama. Never did I experience such sensations as those caused me by the view of this cascade. I was at first so dazzled, that I could scarcely see the objects around me. I was wrapt in mute admiration at seeing the waters of the Bogota precipitate themselves in mass, over the rocks which they have crushed, like an avalanche de- tached from the top of Chimborazo. In order to observe the fall the more safely *, we laid our- * Bolivar stood upright upon one of the rocks which bar the iSsues of the river. k2 68 TRAVELS IN THE selves down flat upon the rocky wall, forming the side of the precipice above which we were placed. Our eyes penetrated into the abyss without perceiving aught but waves of foam continually swallowed up in an ocean of vapour. We were in astonishment, and yet only perceived one part of this imposing spectacle, on account of the pro- found obscurity in which the haze enveloped us. We anxiously wished for a clearer sky. The Avaters of the river falling from the frozen heights of the Cordilleras into the foaming gulfs, hol- lowed out at their base, formed a thick fog, which, raised up by the sun, whose face it ob- scured, inundated us on all sides. We waited with impatience for the moment when we could admire this wonder of nature, which we had come so far to contemplate : it suddenly discovered itself, but only for a few instants. The clouds at length dissipating, we were enabled to take a rapid view of the pheno- menon of the fall. Measuring first the heights above us *, we saw, amid the palm-trees which cover that region, a rivulet (the Bogota) mean- dering through a region glowing with verdure, inhabited doubtless by animals of the torrid zone. Above these blooming fields, a projecting rock, against which the Bogota dashed itself, tiirew up tlie river's foaming waves on high, * Seventy-eight toises in height, according- to Salazar. KKPUKLIC OF COLOMBIA. GO like two crystal columns completely detached from the vapours, which they continually pro- duce. The view in front of us was not less imposing- : along the g-ig-antic mountains forming- the opposite shore, several streams fell in cas- cades, which, at the distance we were from them, appeared to us like plates of silver. Soon all was shrouded in darkness, the sun withdrew itself, and the rain fell in torrents. We were compelled, much against our inclination, to quit this magnificent spectacle, and to return to Bo- gota, lest night should surprise us amid these inundated forests. My expedition to Tequendama had raised in me a wish to visit the other wonders of the coun- try, so classically described by M. de ihimboldt*. I was naturally desirous of seeing the bridge of Pandi ; for which purpose, providing myself with a guide, I again left Bogota towards the end of April, shaping my course towards the south- east. I first traversed Fusagasuga, situated at an elevation of 940 toises, and consequently far lower than the plateau of Bogota, by which the village has the advantage of a milder temperature and a greater variety of harvests. I left upon the right Chocho, a village which takes its name from a tree very common in all these ♦ Vue des Cordilleres. 70 TRAVELS IN THE parts. I climbed the Alto de Honda, and after much fatigue and difficulty, arrived at the end of two days at Mercadillo, after having traversed a country almost desert ; I every where found a heat of from 18° to 20% R. Mercadillo was founded a few years since, for the purpose of attracting there the Indians of Coundaie, who live in the neighbourhood. These men, half savages, are too fond of their indepen- dance, and not sufficiently so of the whites to be induced to increase the population of Mercadillo. Quitting this hamlet, I found myself within the Indian territory of Coundaie : the lands are all uncultivated ; it is with difficulty that bananas, sugar canes, and a few indigenous fruit trees are here and there to be seen. The goats and cows, which are met wandering about this wild country, belong to the inhabitants of Mercadillo ; who not less careless than the Coundaien In- dians, let their cattle devour and destroy the vanilla, which grows here in immense quan- tities. One hour sufficed for us to arrive at the na- tural bridge of Pandi. It is formed of a stone not more than twenty feet wide ; placing myself upon it, I cast my eyes down into the opening which separates the two mountains, and which is in depth about 363 feet. I perceived a stream of water, which, at the elevation where I stood. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 71 Jippearcd to me a rivulet. Tlie shortest distiuice however must be traversed in a piragua. Among the enormous stones whicli, in rolling from the summits of the mountains, have been stopped in the immense gap, that which formed tlie bridge, less attracted my admiration, than one of prodi- gious size which is beneath it, and which, like the key stone of an arch, is suspended in the air, and seems every moment threatening to fall with hideous ruin. The inhabitants of the country believe these frightful gulphs to be the entrances to hell. And indeed the continual night which reigns there, the birds of darkness whose mournful cries re- echo in the caverns which serve as their re- treat during the day, the murky waters which fill the depths of this precipice, the thick foliage of the trees which partly conceal this place of mystery, the noisy turbulence of the waters, the rocks, which, like the bridge of the Persian my- thology, serve to cross them, and lastly the darkness whicli shrouds all these horrors, con- vey no feeble idea of the empire of death. The illusion is the stronger from the greater part of living creatures avoiding the savage spot ; the habitations of man are far removed from it, and all animals seem to dread the fearful noises which are there heard. Thus the tra- veller experiences much satisfaction uponeinerg- 72 TRAVELS IN THE ing from these antique forests, imbrued perhaps by the Indian priests with the blood of human victims, to find again the chearful light of day, and prospects less sad and gloomy. I re-ascended toward Mercadillo, not less astonished than I had been at Tequendama, al- though the bridge of Pandi had appeared to me less striking than the fall. This work proves the mighty powers of nature ; to estabhsh a bridge of communication, it sufficed for her to roll down a few rocks from the heights of the mountains. Approaching the summits of the mountains which command Mercadillo, and whence may be perceived the Llanos* deLimone extending as far as the Magdalena, we soon traversed primi- tive forests peopled by the bear, the jaguar and the congouar, and by nightfall were in Fusaga- suga. In proportion as we removed from the burning valley of Mercadillo, we found a race of men more handsome and vigorous. On the morning of the next day, I returned to Bogota. Till six o'clock we had travelled in the midst of fields of mace, sugar canes, coffee and chirimoya (Annona) : at nine o'clock I found myself within the shade of the Kinas, and sur- rounded with fogs ; at eleven, in the barren furzes of the mountain summits, and almost ♦The Llanos are plains, many of which form the tract of country called Llanura. — Translator. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 73 drowned with incessant rains ; at three, I des- cended the declivities, amid fine countries covered with barley, and excellent pastures, and re- freshed by a breeze which, towards evening, was cold. At length, after having passed from the fertile coasts, bordering the plateau on the south, into the regions sometimes inundated and some- times parched, which adjoin the capital, and which are only to be traversed with the assistance of bridges of stones, we entered Bogota at mid- night. 74 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER V. Journey into the province of Socorro, situated to the north of Santa-FS de Bogota. Scarcely had I returned from one journey than I was anxious to undertake another, and So- corro, rich in industry and population, appeared to present the greatest interest. In the month of June, therefore, I procured two mules, engaged an intelligent guide, and set out for the valley of Tenza, which is to the north north-east of Bogota : by following this course, I could exa- mine the plain of Bogota in its greatest extent. We took the royal road : the ground per- fectly level facilitated the construction of a high- way similar to those in Europe. In many parts are seen farms of a very handsome appearance, covered with tiles and furnished with panes of glass to their windows. All these farms are carefully inclosed with stone walls. I crossed the plain at the time when the corn was green ; it promised abundantly for the harvest which was to take place in two months afterwards. The bridge, constructed over the Commun, is of stones ; this work of the Spaniards is not without merit, it is moreover exceedingly useful REPUBLIC OF COLOMUIA. 75 for the communications of Bogota with the salt mines of Zipaquira. The Commun discharges itself into the Bogota. When the plain is more inhabited and better cultivated, this river will be very commodious for commerce and the different relations of the country ; not a ca- noe is at present to be seen on it. The night came on, and as a short time before an alcaid had been assassinated near the place where we were, I stopped at a farm. The next day I passed through a number of small villages, situated on the road to Tunja. In general, they are only inliabited by Indians, who live by twisting cotton, or manufacturing- pottery ware. The cabins of these poor people are extremely small, and some of them are round as they all were previous to the conquest. It is not without surprise that, in the middle of these wretclied huts, the house of the curate is seen from afar, raising its proud head like a castle. Indeed the balconies, the glazed win- dows, the tiles with which the presbytery is or- namented, impart to it an air of magnificence which creates astonishment when compared with the wretchedness of the hovels by which it is sur- rounded. Towards noon, quitting the plain, in which our route hitherto lay, I approached the gra- nite mountains commanding it. Sesquila the last village of the plain of Bogota, on this side, is situated at a short distance from tlie lake of Gua- 76 TRAVELS IN THE tavita. I found the air very sharp upon the Para- mo de Chocotan, the wind blowing- there with as much violence as on the sea-shore. Avery small but cold rain, froze our faces and hands. The soil of Chocotan is of a very dark colour ; the land is undulating like that of downs, and the grass is so fine, that the foot-steps of the traveller, are effaced almost as quickly as in the sands of an African desert. It is in these wild places that the hunter re- pairs to pursue the animals which, envelopped in perpetual mists, think themselves safe from the shafts of man. The bear is here remark- able for his strength and courage, and the inha- bitants are continually at war with him. Mounted upon horses and armed with a lance, they attack and are often victorious ; these feats are how- ever many times attended with danger. It is indeed very interesting when on the top of an elevation so prodigious, to hear the cries of the hunters, the barking of the dogs, and all the cheerful tumult of the chace suddenly succeed to the hollow roaring of the winds ; it is impos- sible to see without astonishment horsemen gal- lopping fearless along the rugged tops of moun- tains, crossing torrents, bounding over precipices, scaling rocks, and at length reaching with their spears the animal worn out with the fatigue of flight. Upon descending the Paramo de Chocotan, I met with an isolated hut built at a short dis- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 77 tance from a petmleuni (petrote) mine, be- longing- to the catliedral of Santa-F^. Here I passed the night. Although the sowing was over, they were working in the fields with great activity. Furnished with a hoe fixed at the end of a long handle, the jnons, so the day labourers are called, were occupied in hoeing the land. These labourers, whose task com- mences with the day and finishes at night, re- ceive one real, and two rations of masamora (boiled rice) per day. Tliose employed upon the coast are paid double, and have daily a pound of meat. It is true that the fatigue is much greater on the burning coasts of the sea than in the Cordilleras. The labours of agricul- ture are much less severe for him who works under a temperature of 12" to 15° than for him who groans under the weight of 25 to 30% R. I coasted the Machetan, the banks of which are very rugged ; its source is in the Paramo, which we had traversed the preceding evening. ITiis torrent runs through a rich valley ; and on arriving near Somondocon, takes the name of that village, and runs eastward into the Llanos. The road was dreadful which made me admire the hardiness of some women, who travelled on horseback in company with us, carrying their infants in their arms. Spite of the dangers which every instant threatened them, they laughed and sang with as much 78 TRAVELS IN THE gaiety and unconcern as if they had been in the best carriage and on the best roads in France. We arrived all together at Tiribita, in the rivulets of which are found many ferru- ginous pyrites ; we afterwards reached Guatake : these two villages are built upon territory called Indian. The Indians are loudly accused of regret- ting the ancient regime : that may be the case, since formerly they allowed no white to settle among them, while in the present day, they see their territory invaded by all sorts of avari- cious men. This forced union keeps up among the inhabitants of these villages, a violent anti- pathy, and an inveterate animosity. I crossed the river a little beyond Guatake, and began to climb up the opposite bank on which Somondocon is built. The temperature was here milder, and the whole face of nature appeared to me richer and more varied than I had observed it in coming from Machetan. In fact, on all sides were plantations of the sugar cane, mace, and yucca,'**' inclosed by willow hedges; cotton trees and cactus, round which were twined thousands of the bind-weed family loaded with flowers of the most brilliant hues. The mountain, at the base of which Somondocon is situated, presented a very curious sight ; one * The Tatropha Manihot. The root of this plant is made into a sort of cakes, and is almost the only bread used in Ame- rica.— TraHi/rt^or. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 79 might have imagined it to be formed entirely of crystal ; this eflfect was produced by numerous torrents falling vertically amid the thick forests, fringing its declivities. Even at the distance where I stood, the noise of these cateracts was tremendous. Somondocon is so poor a village, that no one could afford me hospitality. I thought that the parsonage would certainly grant me an asylum ; I was however deceived in my conjec- ture. Francisco Antonio Dias, for that was the curate's name, declared that he had already strangers in his house, and refused to receive me ; not a soul however was there. My embarrass- ment was most distressing. One woman alone took compassion on my unfortunate situation, I perceived it, and laid claim to her kindness. But the opinion, and especially the anger of the curate, delayed her consent ; at length I obtained it, and received in her humble cabin attentions I should, with difficulty, have found elsewhere. The slight difference in civilization, which distinguishes tlie part of America I was now in, from the regions of Africa, which I had traversed four years before, produces none what- ever in the affectionate sympathy of females for the suffering traveller ; he has never to fear appealing in vain to the tenderness of a woman. I had often heard of tlie richness of the emerald mines, which the Indians had former- 80 TRAVELS IN THE ly worked in this neighbourhood ; and had a great wish to discover the traces of them. I questioned many people very particularly, but the only result of my enquiries, was a faint hope of being able to make some discoveries in a neighbouring mountain, which I was recom- mended to visit. This advice pleasing me, I was preparing for my departure on the next day, when tlie alcade of Somondocon, followed by a dozen of his attendants, came into my room, and presenting me a letter, desired 1 would read it. Fixing his eyes upon my face, he endeavoured to discover the uneasiness which the reading of the letter might cause me. It was not of a nature to give me any. The civil judge at Gua- take, had given instructions to the alcaid to watch my motions with the utmost vigilance, it being supposed my intention to pass from the high country into the Llanos. He also ex- pressly ordered him to demand my passport, which I immediately put into his hands ; the alguazils of the curate, for it was by his order this trick was played me, instantly retired covered with confusion. This adventure did not deter me from my design, and accompanied by a steady guide, I proceeded in an easterly direction, towards the mountain supposed to contain emeralds ; from its summit the Llanos are discovered ; but so difficult was the road, that I did not reach REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 81 till after three hours of painful toil. I was well recompensed howevei* for my fatigues by the magnificent view which suddenly burst upon my sight. On the east was seen an extensive and deep valley intersected by the Majoma, from which it derives its name ; at a still greater dis- tance and considerably lower, though in the same direction, a dark and thick cloud was per- ceptible behind some mountains of small eleva- tion ; it was the Llanos de San Martin, situated at about two or three days' journey. But for my guide, I should never have been able to have recognised it as land, by indications, which, from a singular coincidence, are the same as those which announce the proximity of land at sea. Turning towards the west, the rich and beautiful valley Avatered by the Somondocon, presents it- self, with the villages, the dazzling whiteness of whose houses forms an agreeable contrast with the green verdure of the surrounding country. So- mondocon, hidden in the gigantic shadows of the mountains, was concealed from my view; but I distinguished Manta, Guatake, Suta, and numerous isolated huts shaded bv bananas. Though I could not see either men or cattle, I could ascertain the spot where they were, from their cries, which, rising with the vapours from the plain, resounded in my ears. This effect is not of rare occurrence in the mountains, men frequently here converse together at distances G 82 TRAVELS IN TjHK whicli tlie voice could never traverse in flat countries. My search after emeralds was fruit- less : in vain did I examine the sand of the rivu- lets and the schist of which the mountain is composed, nothing could be found ; I therefore descended from these cold regions to enter a warmer and less barren country. Our excur- sion would have been unattended with any ac- cident, had not my guide's dog, almost famished with the fasts he had so long endured, rushed upon a flock of sheep ; and spite of the cries, the threats and blows of his master, tore one of them in pieces. These ravages happen very frequent- ly ; the dogs often even unite in bands to at- tack horses and cows ; but this is onlv the case when carrion fails them. To discover this they watch the gallinazos (vultur aura), and when they see them assembling in one spot, guessing it is some prey which attracts them, they run thither, and after driving away those voracious birds, supply their place. I expected to have found my passport at Somondocon, which had been forwarded the even- ing before to the civil j udgc of Guatake : I waited for it in vain till noon, when, becoming impatient at this delay, I set forward on my return to Guatake. Having demanded my passport from the alcaids, complaining at the same time of their want of dispatch, they feebly excused them- selves, but soon made me forget these disa- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBJA. 83 greeables, by ofFerinjo- me their house to pass the ni^-ht in. Upon my declining their offer, from my desire of arriving quickly at Suta, they dispatched, unknown to me, an express, willi in- structicms to tlie commandant of Suta, to treat me with great respect ; their orders were punc- tually obeyed, this officer shewing me the utmost kindness and attention. At Suta, to my great surprise, I received a visit from the son of a French doctor, who had died in this country several years since ; his name was Courtois, he had however turned it into Spanish, by making it Cortes : it was impossi- ble to witness, without compassion, the deplora- ble state of poverty to which the son of a countryman was reduced ; almost entirely naked, he could only be distinguished from the most wretched of the inhabitants, by his face, the features of which had not been debased by mise- ry. My host at Suta wished me to make a tlu'ee- days' stay with him : but I forced myself away from his kindness ; and, on the 20th of June, directed mv course to the north north-east towards Tenza. I only passed through this village, and did not enter Guachabita till night had closed in. Here terminates the valley of Tenza, which is dependent on the province of Tunja. Few diseases are found here ; no one is afflicted with goitres. A great number of streams cross the G 2 84 TRAVELS IN THE valley of Tenza in every direction, giving rise to several rivers, which all discharge their waters into the Somondocon : the latter, after having described various sinuosities, forms a confluence with the Meta. The banks of the Somondocon are full of salt-springs, which the inhabitants use instead of the salt of Zipaquira. The country is rather elevated ; the soil is a fat earth, but so much softened by the rains, as to render the roads impassable. The inhabitants, however, complain but little of this temporary inconvenience, when they see the riches of their harvests. Here man answers to the voice of nature ; every thing is assiduously cultivated : bananas, sugar-canes, mace, yucca, all thrive in wonderful abundance. But notwithstanding so many invaluable benefits, man is poor ; en- riched by nature, society ruins him by the vi- cious system of the imposts it exacts from him. In vain do his plantations flourish, in vain are his granaries filled, the inhabitants of Tenza groan amid misery the most wretched ; and, as upon the Magdalena, the poor are seen seated at the foot of abundance itself. One cannot enter a house, nor a street, without meeting crowds of beggars ; in the villages, in the country, in fact, every where are persons asking alms. How can one refuse to grant assistance to infirmities or old age ! The charm imparted to this spot by the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 85 beauty of the surrounding scenery, and by tlie mild temperature, wliich, during the fine season, lasts from Septeml)er to March, is totally de- stroyed by these objects of misery and wretched- ness. At the time of my journey, the country was inundated by the continual rains. Deceived by the drought which had succeeded the storms in the plain of Santa-F^, whose climate is totally different from that of the other parts of the Cor- dilleras, upon descending into the valley of Ten- za, I had expected to find the same tempera- ture. I was, however, completely deceived ; every place here has a different sky, temperature, and seasons, arising from the difference of ele- vation. The temperature is generally from 15" to 16", and the climate being very healthy, the number of old people is, therefore, very considerable ; many liave even reached their hundredth year. I was shown a tree, which some children had thrown across a torrent, to enable their mother, who was above a hundred and fifteen years old, to go a nearer way to church, whither she went several times a-week, although it was situated very far from her hut, and the road to it very steep and dangerous. As the valley of Tenza is to the east of the immense summit of the Cordilleras, it follows the variations of the climate of the Manos, so that the spring blooms, and the rains fall there at the same time as in the plains. 86 TRAVELS IN THE and consequently the season for sowing is not the same as on the mountains of Bogota. The va- rious stages of cultivation, and their accompany- ing labours, may therefore be seen on the same day. On the elevated parts, sowing takes place in March ; towards the middle of the mountain, in May ; and in the valley beneath, in July. But such is the force of vegetation in the latter place, that all arrives there at maturity before the inhabitants of the summit can form any idea of the produce of their harvest. Upon quitting Pachabita, we quickly reached Volador, a mountain of but trifling elevation. We then entered the region of the cold country. On these mountains man appeared to me as different as the vegetable tribe. To the gaiety which reigns throughout the valley of Tenza, had succeeded the deepest gloom and sadness. Upon entering the hamlet of Umbita, I was struck with seeing a man fastened to a stake, by order of the curate ; a short time after, I saw another smarting under the cane of a militia Serjeant. — What rapid changes ! In the valley, at every step, I admired nature's holiday cele- brated by poverty and wretchedness ; here I saw man as miserable as the earth he inhabited. The reflections, suggested by the sight of so much misery, added to a temperature of from 8° to 10° only, made me pass a very uncomfortable night. Being ready to set off* before day-break. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 87 I once more entered the Paramos,* where I again found fine weather, whicli was wafted hither by the same easterly winds that inundate the valley of Tenza. I left Turmeque on the south, and before noon arrived at Tiribi. Every thing here presented a new aspect ; instead of ba- nanas and sugar-canes, I found corn and pota- toe-lields. The soil, without being as fertile as that of Tenza, appeared fruitful, and in more industrious hands, susceptible of improvement. The country was rather more woody, and flocks, covered with thick fleeces, were grazing in the meadows. Man, however, still appeared to be a suft'erer, and the salutation with which I was wel- comed, that of Master, indicated the state of slavery to which these people had been re- duced for so many ages. I had just made myself comfortable at Tiribi, in a hut, the use of which had been granted me, when I was disturbed by the en- trance of a tall stout man ; it was the curate. After the usual compliments, he requested I would lend him my watch ; I presented it to him. He then begged 1 would make him a present of it; and, upon my refusal, desired I would give him my sabre ; and upon again re- ceiving a denial, he retired, inviting me in no very gracious terms to pay him a visit. * The Paramo is a very high part of tlie Cordillera, con- stantly covered with snow, where it is always extremely cold. — Translator. 88 TRAVELS IN THE Shortly after quitting Tiribi, I traversed the field of battle of Boyaca ; where, in 1809, the Spaniards were defeated by the patriots. The same nig-ht I entered Tunja, and was hospitably received by the curate ; he is one of those whose attentions have had most claim to my grateful remembrance. Tunja, before the arrival of the victorious Spaniards in these parts, was already a consider- able town, and as important in Cundinamarca as Cusco in Peru. Quesada obtained possession of it by the same means as Pizarro and Cortes had found so successful : he put the king of Tunja to death. The riches he found amid the spoils of that prince, the sight of which made the Spaniards ex- claim, " We also have found a Peru ;" enabled him to build a new town, which was for a long time the rival of Bogota, the whole of the nobi- lity of the country having retired thither : it is now nothing but a desert. Tunja possesses no recommendations what- ever : neither inhabitants, mildness of tempera- ture, nor water, either plentiful or healthy, are to be found. The people are afflicted with goitres, the sky is seldom without clouds, and the climate is very cold ; in short, almost all the houses are in ruins. A very interesting phenomenon, how- ever, attracts the curious thither, and consti- tutes the delight of the inhabitants. To the north-west of Tunja, and at a short distance^ are some springs of water^ warm enough during REPUBLIC OF COLOMTUA. 89 the night to be used for bathing- ; in the day-time they are very cold. This luxury, which is con- sequently only to be obtained after sun-set, is rendered the more agreeable by the basin which has been formed for the better enjoyment of that pleasure ; it is the only one that Tunja possesses. This town is the chief place of a province of considerable extent, but which is in general very barren. Were it warmer, one might often suppose one's self in the midst of an African desert. The ground is covered with rocks, and furrowed by the waters, which form frightful chasms in different places ; but as these soon evaporate, the country is in great want of water. This province is notwithstanding one of the richest, its inhabitants are active and indus- trious, and considerable quantities of woollen and cotton stuffs are there manufactured. Al- though very coarse, these productions are in re- quest throughout the republic, and their sale considerably enriches Tunja. The greater proportion of the lands lie fal- low ; they would, however, produce considera- ble crops, if the inhabitants were less indiffe- rent. No encouragement can rouse them from their indolent habits and usual routine. Tliis was proved at Leyva, where an attempt was made to cultivate the olive. Barley, oats, and wheat, are sown witli success throughout tlie country. There are few parts of the province 90 TRAVELS IN THE where any thing else could be produced on account of the cold. Rice, sugar, and coffee, are obtained from Muzo. It took me a whole day to go from Tunja to Paipa, whence I directed my course to the south south-east to reach a farm, the income from which is very considerable, owing to the peculiar bounty of nature. The meadow, in the midst of which this farm is built, and which is nearly half a league in extent, contains several springs of Avarm sulphureous water, the tempe- rature being about 49°, R. In the dry season, the vapours are condensed, and cover all the pas- tures with sulphate of soda. This salt is very carefully collected, and afterwards given to the cattle, who are wonderfully improved by it in the course of six months. By means of this advantage, the proprietor of the estate purchases in the Llanos of Sau Martin, cattle at the rate of five piastres a piece, which he afterwards sells for twenty-five or thirty. This fine estate belongs to the Jesuits. A sulphur mine is in its neighbour- hood. We afterwards proceeded towards tlie south south-cast, and continuing to traverse uncul- tivated and uninhabited countries, descended into the plain of Sogamoso. In tlie course of an hour we arrived at Issa, a village situated to the east. We witnessed a singular sight on our arri- val, that of a fete, consisting of songs and dances, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 91 to celebrate the death of a child ; a strange cus- tom to rejoice at a loss which every where else costs so many tears, and so much sorrow. Upon coming to Issa, I had promised myself to visit the lake of Tota, situated higlier up, but in the same direction ; I therefore quitted Issa before sun-rise, and, accompanied by a fresh guide, scaled the rugged heights upon which the paramo Ramona is situated. Here the cold was very severe. At eiglit o'clock, I was on the borders of the lake, which is very large, since the tour of it is made with difficulty in a day. Superstition has not failed to people this spot with friglitful pro- digies ; in fact, the savage nature of the country, the waters suspended at such an immense height, and always agitated by the winds blowing off the Toxillo, (a paramo which raises itself above the lake Tota) a mucilaginous substance of an oval form, and filled with an insipid water, which is found on the sands — all inspires astonishment. According to the inhabitants, the waters of this lake are not navigable ; in its depths malignant genii are said to inhabit dwellings, whose por- ticoes maybe perceived on leaving tlie shores, and proceeding some distance in the stream ; it is even added, that, at intervals, a monstrous fish is seen to rise from the abyss and shows itself for a few moments. The lake of Tota is in the form of an arc, the two ends of which extend in a direction 92 TRAVELS IN THE from tlie north-west to the south-east ; the tem- perature is very damp and cold ; the water of a blueish colour is heavy, insipid and scarcely drinkable ; like that of the sea, it is in con- tinual agitation, caused by the tempests so common to the Toxillo. Some isles rise from the bosom of the lake ; but on these, one man alone has dared to set his foot ; the idea that the lake is enchanted, prevents them being- revi- sited : the bottom appears composed of silicious sand. The mountains which enclose the lake of Tota are immense walls composed of basaltic and granite rocks, so strongly cemented as to resist all filtration ; it may however be conjectured that the warm springs of Issa and Paipa owe their origin to this immense basin placed so many toises above their level. Some desolate huts, the sport of the winds, are scattered along the prodigious- ly high and rugged sides of this lake of the Cordilleras. Near this lake is the village of Gui- tiva, which I traversed on my return to Issa, the road we took was full of capopals loaded with the cochineal insects ; and what is not less interesting to the inhabitants, affording a great quantity of flints. In proportion as I removed from these heights, I found the temperature more supporta- ble. Having arrived in the beautiful plain of Sogamoso, I soon distinguished the village amid the willows which shade it ; I stopped till the next day, in this place so renowned before the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 93 conquest, for tlie worsliip paid to the sun ; the temple which was theie, being according to some liistorians, of unequalled magnificence ; no traces of its past grandeur are now perceptible. A con- siderable cattle trade is carried on at Sogamoso ; the animals are brought from the Llanos by the Toxillo. Cotton, stuffs, and woollen hats manu- factured at Somagoso, are forwarded to those plains in exchange for the cotton, indigo and salt, also drawn from thence. Notwithstanding the profits of this trade, it is much neglected on ac- count of the bad state of the roads and the dangers presented by the paramo. A great number of the inhabitants of the Cordillera perish in the plain, or are soon attacked by fever, on account of the quantity of animal food which they eat ; the in- habitants of the plains run less risk, it might be supposed that they would not be able to endure the cold of the more elevated regions ; they how- ever brave it in their light cotton garments, and are very seldom attacked with sickness. Upon quitting Sogamoso, I turned to the north-west, in order to visit a lead mine which is being worked in the neighbourhood ; it was ne- cessarv to cross the Rio-Grande, the ford of which was pointed out to me by a man on horseback ; after ascending gradually for a short time, I de- scended into the plain of Tibasosa. This vil- lage is situated on the other side of the river which waters the vallies of Sogamoso, and Ti- basosa ; almost opposite the latter is the lead mine 94 TRAVELS IN THE of Sog"amoso, eight men were at work there ; they informed me they had entered into a partner- ship, for the working this mine, and that it afforded but little profit since the water had stopped up the principal gallery, which had been open for more than a century ; they contented themselves with washing the mineral ; but being frequently in want of water, they could not obtain by this rough process, more than an arroba of lead per week, producing about 30 francs.* The hardness of the rock, the encroachments of the water, and especially the want of necessary implements, prevent further profits, notwithstand- ing the mine is rich and abundant. At a short distance from this place is a cop- per foundery, the metal is brought from Moni- quira; the articles manufactured at this wretched forge are not destitute of taste, and consist gene- rally of stirrups and bells. I resumed my journey towards the north, in the midst of mountains formed of purple and violet coloured clay : it was night when I en- tered Santa Rosa. Hospitality is every where exercised with so much generosity, that I thought, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, I should find no difficulty in getting a lodging ; but I was deceived, every door was closed against me. I knocked at those ofthealcaidsandthe civil judge; but they refused opening them, under pretext that their masters were absent ; the curate to * About 22 shillings Eiig-lisli. URPUIiLIC OF COLOMBIA. 95 whom I applied as a last resource, did not mani- fest more charity than his neighbours. It was late, my cloaths were wet through, I had not eaten all day, and found myself obliged to lie in the street; I was indeed in much distress ; all were deaf to my prayers, one only, and that, for the second time, a woman took compassion on me and offered me half her cabin ; I joyfully shared it ; and although it was difficult to sleep amid the pots of chicha* and heaps of onions, with which it was stored, I passed a delicious night by comparing it with that reserved for me by the inhospitality of the inhabitants of Santa Rosa, and by listening to the rain which fell in torrents. The name of Santa Rosa, sounds well to the ear, and from the regularity of the houses and streets, the town in some degree answers the pleas- ing ideas to which its appellation gives rise. But the temperature is very cold ; and as the environs produce nothing but corn, potatoes and onions, the population would not be very rich had it not as a resource several manufactories of woollen hats and cotton stuffs, which articles are in much request with their neighbours, the inhabitants of Socorro, Goitres are here very common. The next day I passed through Serinsa, situ- ated in an irregular valley, where the cold is very * The common beverage of the Indians. It is generally made of maize, which is pounded and then left to ferment — in some parts, instead of pounding, the Indians chew it between their teeth. It is very intoxicating — Translator. 96 TRAVELS IN THE severe, if we may judge from the moss which covers the roofs. This severe temperature comes from the paramo that commands the valley, and which extends from the north north-east, to the south south-west. At noon I began to climb it; and reached the summit after having travelled some time among apple trees, which, in the Cordillera, form the limits of the earth's obedience to man. At five o'clock in the evening, I arrived at the venta, on the Socorro side of the mountain, the resting place for all travellers. The paramos form a country absolutely un- like those above which they rise. All is different, nature there produces plants entirely distinct from those of the other regions ; and but for a few spots sheltered from the winds, where man has sown potatoes, beans, and onions, these places would be uninhabitable. The earth is here rare- ly covered with stones, except in places near the region of snow, where a kind of gravel is found similar to that of rivers. When I traversed the Serinsa, the tempera- ture although cold was bearable ; but the air was excessively dry, so much so that the straps and ropes, which secured my baggage, were breaking every instant. I had great cause to congratulate myself; for, according to what the inhabitants told me, when the paramo se pone bravo (is out of humour), then the greatest dangers threaten the traveller ; a wind loaden with icy vapours blows with tremendous violence ; thick darkness covers IIKPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 97 tl»c earth and conceals eveiy trace of a road. The birds which, on tiie appearance of a fine day, had attempted the passage, fall motionless. The traveller seeks to shelter himself under the stunted shrubs which here and there grow in these deserts ; but their wet foliage obliges him to find anotlier covert. Worn out with fatigue and hunger, in vain urging on his mules, benumbed with cold, lie sits down to recover his exhausted strength. Fatal repose! his stomach soon becomes affected as when at sea, his blood freezes in his veins, his muscles grow stiff, his lips open as if to smile, and he expires with the expression of joy upon his features. The mules, no longer hearing their master's voice, remain standing, til) at length tired, they lie down to die. Nothing presents so dismal an appearance as the Serinsa, seen froin below, its frow^ning brow is generally hidden in the clouds ; while its summit is rarely illumined by a cheerful sky. Some springs, whose livid and icy waters are not potable, escape from its barren sides, but never produce on them that fertility to which they contribute in the lower region ; muddy pools, choaked up with bull-rushes and other aquatic plants, occupy the bottom of the vallies. The screams of the white heron, w^hen the ^vinds are hushed, is all that breaks in upon its silence. The earth produces nothing but a short kind of grass, eagerly sought after by animals. One H 98 TRAVEIvS IN THE plant alone, the {espeletia frailexo)i) of stately growth is able to resist the hurricane ; its yellow leaves, placed at the top of a stalk, entirely black, shed a melancholy gleam, like that of a funeral torch ; an eifect still heightened by the nume- rous crosses placed upon the graves of travellers who have perished in their endeavours to cross the paramo. Spite of the perils often encountered by man upon these heights, poverty, and his avidity after gold, continually force him to traverse them. If he is met coming from the warm countries, he is seen laden with bananas and succulent fruits ; if from cold ones, bending beneath sacks of flour, or enormous earthen pots, filled with chicha, in a state of fermentation. A miserable profit is sufficient to induce him to brave the fatigues and privations to which he is condemned in these wild and desert regions. Will it be credited, that a man can earn little more than five francs (about three shillings and ninepence) for carrying a load of seventy five pounds weight from Santa Rosa to Socorro, a journey of three days ? But by this he gains the utmost of his wishes ; he sells the over- plus of his harvest, and lives for nearly a month upon its profits. Mules are also used on this labo- rious passage, but the roads are so excessively bad, that men are employed to much greater advan- tage. The venta del Baslo, built by a worthy man on the paramo of Serinsa, and Avhere I passed the KKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 99 night, consists of foiii- cottages — two only are closed in with eai-th, the other two being open, expose t!ie traveller to a most intense cold. The prejndice of the inhabitants of the Cordille- ra against fire, which they conceive to be un- wholesome, prevents them from lighting any. It is indeed, impossible to imagine, how men born in the glowing regions of the Socorro, and clad only in cotton garments, can resist a cold so intense : as for me, I was benumbed, although my birth was the least exposed to the outward air, and notwithstanding I was well wrapped up in thick woollen cloaks, &c. The cold, however, which I felt, did not last all the night, my host had conceived the singular idea of bringing up a great number of cats, which were trained to place themselves upon the feet of travellers ; 1 had two of them, whose thick furs kept me very warm. I certainly needed them much, mv host's supper not being at all calculated to exhilarate me; yucca, potatoes, .'lasamora, a bouilli of maize, and warm chicha, are dishes too simple for an European stomach. The owner of the venta has, at the foot of the paramo, a field which, under the fostering rays of a warmer sun, prodnces sugar canes. ^ — This place, so fortunate when compared with those by which it is overlooked, is called Las Vueltas ; the way to it lies throuiih very thick woods, which, in several places, advance even H 2 100 TR-\VELS IN THR into the sinuosities of the paramos, as if they were braving a new climate; their audacity seems to be punished, for, constantly blown upon by the frosty winds, the trees, which approach too nearly the limits of vegetation, are covered with mosses, which stop their growth and hasten their decay. I had been told, that I should find at Las Vueltas the ruins of a village, formerly inha- bited by the Indians, this had greatly excited my curiosity ; but on arriving there, I could only discover holes, dug by the inhabitants in every direction, for the purpose of discovering the riches which they supposed to lie buried there ; to their great disappointment, they had found nothing but earthen vessels, and glass ornaments, proofs of the comparatively recent destruction of the Indian village. Whether the inhabitants of this inaccessible retreat had fled unto the plains of Meta, or had dispersed themselves in different directions, cannot be ascertained — a circum- stance which renders their disappearance from among so many habitations, scattered in every direction, the more mysterious. Upon the ruins of tlie Indian huts, the landlord of the venta has built his residence. The site is very lonely, but enchanting ; at the foot of it flows a river of con- siderable breadth ; and upon its rugged sides have been sown maize and beans. This estate has all the extent which the peaceful ambition of UKPUHLIC OF COLOMJJIA. 101 its owner requii-es. Oaks of majestic growth shade liis fields and preserve them from the hur- ricanes of the mountains. But in spite of the pleasure which is experienced in contemphiting the image of happiness and plenty in this retreat, when compared with the desolate aspect of the paramo, one cannot help feeling some regret from the reflection, that these fields were former- ly cultivated by an unfortunate race, now afar off, and sighing, perhaps, after their lawful pos- sessions. On the other hand, when thinking of the savage state in which that people must have lived, it is delightful to walk fearlessly amid these beautiful forests, enlivened, at intervals, by the lowing of the cattle, where, although so completely isolated, one meets with civilisation, peaceful habits, and even customs not unknown to Europeans. Bidding an adieu to this charming retreat, in which I could have spent some months with much satisfaction, I soon entered the road of Guaclia, by which the traveller descends into the Socorro. The inhabitants of this country look upon it as the work of the devil ; tiiey have pointed out to me with their finger the abode of tiie wicked one, but I must confess I saw no- thing. The Guacha is nothing but a rock of im- mense extent, in which the rains and the earth- quakes liave made considerable chasms ; it is con- sequently impossible to make use of horses tliere, 102 TRAVELS IN THE and I therefore alighted ; no accident happened to nie, which was the more fortunate, as in ge- neral several horses are lost in this dangerous passage. Some idea may be formed of the risks to be run, by the bones with which the road is strewed, and the numerous crosses erected at the foot of the precipice. When we arrived Ihere our labours were not over ; we were obliged to continue walking on foot, for the road, although not so rugged, is formed along the bed of a ri- ver, so that one is continually in the water. I arrived safe and sound at the venta Corda, a very small house. Twelve of us lodged there to- gether. On the 1st of July I was out of the para- mos, the aspect of the country was less forbid- ding, the climate milder, and the sky more se- rene. The cold no longer prevented me from rising before day -break: in a few hours we reached Elisano, and were on the territory of Socorro — upon advancing into this province, we experienced a most agreeable change ; all the cottages were covered with tiles ; an air of com- fort was observable throughout the inhabitants, and an amenity of manners, seldom to be met with in cold climates ; we were every where received with welcome ; the beautiful tropical character of nature gladdened our sight on every side, for it is ever pleasing to see again the banana and the orange trees ; unfortunately the RKlUIIiLU; OF COLOMBIA. l()3 roads are so encumbered with mud, tliat it was necessary to advance witli the utmost caution, in order to avoid m;iking- a slip, wliich would have been truly dangerous. Upon quitting Eli- sano, I coasted the Pienta, a river whicli waters all the valley of Charalan. Before night-fall 1 entered the town of that name ; I was surprised at the regularity of its streets and houses, and had the satisfaction of meeting once more that careless gaiety indige- nous to a warm climate. The next day I took the direction towards Culetas, where I arrived at noon ; I did not stop here, but continued to follow the route of villa Socorro ; on the road, we met a man and wo- man, whom the alcaid of a neighbouring village bad so ill treated, for their having refused to submit to a most unjust corvee, that they were nearly expiring ; some wealthy inhabitants of Charalan, who were travelling with me, advised them to go and confess themselves instantly, without however, backing this advice by more substantial consolations, of which these un- fortunate wretches stood in present need : they assisted them to rise, condoled with them on their lot, and they were at length able to reco- ver their strength, and travel on to reach Cule- tas ; we took the road of the town of Socorro, which town I entered l)efore night. J'iie province of Socorro ends, on the north, 104 TRAVELS IN THE a league and a half beyond St. Giles, and bor- ders on this side upon Pamplona.* It extends on the south as far as Puente Real ; to the east, it is bounded by the province of Tunja ; and to the west, by the unknown lands of the Magdalena; it contains several towns of importance, St. Giles, where a stone bridge, and a college have just been built, Zapatoca, Charalan, Palmar, Ai- ba, Simatoca, Palmas, Guadalupe, and Socor- ro. This latter, which gives its name to all the province, is the capital of it : there is the resi- dence of the governor, who has under his orders a few militia men and invalids, to whom the go- vernment pays four or five piastres per month. The town of Socorro is ill built, and still worse paved. Situated on the declivity of a mountain, it is seldom refreshed by the winds, on account of the chain of Opon, which extends north and south, to the mountains of Ocana. The heat is consequently very intense there, the thermometer in the shade, rarely being lower than 20". At the time I was there (July) it usually began raining at one o'clock in the afternoon ; the thunder roared, and the storm lasted till sunset. The winds blew from the north. The waters are generally disagreeable for drinking, and of a bad quality. May not the goi- tres, which disfigure all the population, and even * See the first note. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 105 foreigners, after a long residence there, be attri- buted to them ? even animals are affected with this evil, and only escape from it by death. Fe- vers are also very common, and many old men are dropsical. The population of Socorro is, how- ever, estimated at nearly twelve thousand inhabi- tants ; their activity and intelligence jri'e asto- nishing ; they are assiduous in agriculture, nor are their manufactures despicable. Their har- vests of sugar, cotton, and rice, are plentiful ;* these articles are at the most reasonable rate possible, for few roads are practicable. It had been proposed to form a road over the mountains of Opon, by which the Magdalena might have been reached in six days, whilst a longer time is required to reach the port of Botigas, which is only twenty-seven leagues distant ; but the war has prevented this useful project from being executed. The inmates of every hut are engaged in spinning, dying, or weaving ; different trades are seen in every direction ; a considerable num- ber of the inhabitants prefer making straw hats : these manufacturers are easily distinguished, by the nail of the index finger, which they permit to grow to a most extravagant length. The stuffs manufactured are coarse, but du- rable; although in the provinces they are preferred * Moist sugar about 6ft i real ; loaf sugar, 2.5lb 5 reals ; '-otton, 25ll5 10 reals ; rice, '2.)lt) 4 reals. 106 TRAVELS IN THE to the foreign cotton when sold at the same price, and notwithstanding- the sale is consequently con- siderable, the manufacturers are very poor ; in fact a spinster does not earn a real per day ; a piece of cotton stuff containing- sixty-four vares (about 52 yards) does not produce the w^eaver a greater profit than seven reals. — The merchant alone gains ; he transports the stuffs from Socorro to Giron, where he exchanges them for tobacco and gold ; at Cucuta, he barters them for cocoa ; and at Zipaquira, for salt and Eng- lish stuffs. The latter are the only ones in re- quest ; a prejudice little encouraging to native industry ; even the women now only dress a I'Anglaise. A fancy the more easily gratified as the Manchester cottons are even cheaper than those manufactured in the country itself; a gown may be had for about seven shillings. The houses are generally dirty and badly constructed, but are more commodious then those of the cold regions. There are beds in them ; silver plate, table cloths and napkins are used at meals ; but in general the only dishes are potatoes, rice, bananas and pork. — The inhabitants of Socorro have, at all times, displayed a boldness and energy of character, which forms a singular contrast with their heavy and stupid appearance ; even now, although they seem tired out with the numerous claims every day made upon their patriotism, the only title REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 107 they use one to anotliei- is that of citizen, ap- pearing- firmly attaclied to the republican system. They were the first who, long before Europe sup- posed that America could ever become indepen- dent, raised the standard of revolt. I shall now proceed to investigate the ori- gin and the consequences of the insurrection, wliich produced the emancipation of America, first briefly describing the situation of this country from the period of the conquest to the commotion whit^h took place in 1781 : by this means the reader will be made acquainted with the two eras of the Spanish Empire in America, and will be enabled to compare the new system with that which existed previously. 108 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER VI. Situation of the country from 1498 to 1781. — The ancient inhabi- tants — Their customs — Their manners — Commercial, religious and military conquests — Quesada — Decrease of the ludiau population — Neg-roes — Their Condition — Mixture of the races — Ports — Churches — Villages — Towns — Mines — Colonial agriculture — European agricul- ture — Industry — Spanish Government — Profound peace. When America was first discovered, savages of unconquerable ferocity and courage inhabited the beautiful plains of Cumana, Caracas, as well as those watered by the Apure and Oronooko ; continually wandering in these impregnable re- treats, a few fruits, or the produce of the chace constituted their only food ; the earth in sum- mer, or the shelter of trees in the rainv season, served them for bed and habitation : they were almost naked ; the rude paintings with Avhich they covered their bodies, the bones or teeth of animals with which they loaded their ears, and the rings of gold which they appended from their nostrils, were the most refined ornaments they had in- vented ; the feathers of birds was the usual co- vering of their heads, and the spoils of wild beasts that of the body. Ambition however slumbered amidst all this wretchedness; the supreme com- mand was the object of their most ardent vows; REPUBLIC OF C<)IA)MBIA. 1 09 it was the recompense of tlie most painful trials; the least expression of complaint was punished by exclusion. What need then had these bar- barians of a chief? what differences were to be decided ? what spoils, what conquests were to be shared? — The bloody corpses of their enemies; for the greater part of them, when the chase failed, fed upon the palpitating limbs of their prisoners ; there were but few tribes who dis- liked these horrible repasts. In the mountains, on the contrary, the man- ners were ameliorated. The rich province of An- tioquia alone was still addicted to blood ; while in the plain in which Santa-Fe was afterwards built, the nation of the Moscas already possessed some laws. The communications between diffe- rent villages were safe and frequent. Agricul- ture commenced to be in esteem, property was respected, the towns had habitations tolerably commodious and the people were dressed with decency. Without being surrounded by all that splendour to be found in the courts of Te- nochtitlan and Cusco, that of the chief of Cun- dinamarca, to whom the Spaniards gave the title of king, was magnificent. Religion possessed its temples, altars and priests. Of all the Indians who inhabited these vast regions, the Moscas were the only ones who restricted the offering to their Gods, the sun and moon, to birds which they had previously taught to pronounce some words of their language, in order that the 110 TRAVELS IN THE cheated divinities might take them for human vic- tims. Everywhere else,notl)ing-buthuman victims were offered, and young- persons of both sexes broug-ht up to be butchered in these horrid sa- crifices, were sold at a most enormous price. Upon hearing of the discovery of the new world, the most savage inhabitants of which wore collars and bracelets of gold, the Spanish soldiers, weary of European warfare, which now afforded then but a poor booty, and the Moors and Jews, impatient of the yoke, to which they had recent- ly been subjected, bid adieu to Europe, and set off to visit these new lands, and to find an- other country. But along the whole coast of South America, which is washed by the sea of the Antilles, they were repulsed by the Indians, and found all their flattering hopes disappointed. These misfortunes caused so general a despon- dency, that the Spanish government found itself obliged to offer the conquest of Venezuela to the highest bidder.* It was undertaken by some german mer- chants in 1528, who executed it with all the cruelty imaginable.-j- They succeeded in gaining possession of the * The fact is that Charles V having borrowed considerable sums from the Welsers of Ausbourg, at that time the richest merchants in Europe, offered them the province of Venezuela, in payment, and they accepted it as a fief of Castille. See Raynal, Histoire des Indes. — Translator. t Depons, tome I, p. 77. RKPIIBLIC OF COLOMBIA. Ill coast, uiul had already erected habitations at some distance in the interior ; these were how- ever continually reduced to ashes by the savages who had taken refuge in the woods, and the ter- rified colonists, scarcely dared to quit their pali- saded fortresses. — Religion now undertook to put a stop to these excesses, and to make a conquest which the sword had been unable to effect. Missionaries penetrated into the wild retreats of the fugitive Indians. The greater number of these peaceful conquerors became the victims of their zeal. Those who had the good fortune to escape, ob- tained victory after victory ; and as they advanced, founded churches of thatch and rushes ; at length, they arrived on the borders of the Oronooko, after having opened a safe communication be- tween that river and Venezuela, by means of the asylums, inviolable even for the savages, which they had erected at intervals. In the mean time, the soldiers jealous of the glory of Pizarro and Cortes, scaled the Cordillera under the command of Quesada, and subdued empires. In fact this chief, stimulated by the se- ductive accounts of a great number of Indians who, pointing to the south, had assured him that he would find in that direction a rich and power- ful empire, set off from St. Martha in the month of April 153G, at the head of six hundred and twenty infantry, and eighty-five cavalry. It was 112 TRAVELS IN THE with infinite difficulty tliat his slight and ill con- structed boats could ascend the Magdalena, but the obstacles opposed to him by this river, instead of arresting his progress, only inflamed his courag-e. A great number of his brave com- panions perished cither with fatigue or w^ant. Nothing, however, could daunt him : he at- tacked the Indians inhabiting the canton^ where Velez has since been built, gained an easy con- quest, traversed their territory, and victoriously descended into the beautiful plams of Ibate and Bogota. His valour had not been abused by idle tales, llie province of Cundinarmarca, since called Santa-F^, was very rich. Power- ful princes, called zipas, at the head of a feudal government, ruled the country, and protected an industry which had already begun to deve- lope itself; their temples, and palaces of straw, contained no inconsiderable treasure. Thus a few bold and enterprising men, in the course of one year, effected the conquest of those countries to which the name of the Vice- royalty of New Grenada has since been given, but which form only one portion of it*. The proofs of a movement towards civilisation was every where observable among the Indians. The avarice of the Spaniards, increased by this circumstance, sought only after new conquests. Neither the * The Indians were not wanting in courage, but the Spa- niards were in the sixteenth century what the French were in the nineteenth, fortunate and invincible. UEPUliLIC OF COLOMBIA. 113 badness of tlie roads, the want of provisions, the oppressive intensity of the heat, nor the poi- soned arrows of the natives, could damp their enterprising- courage. Some adventurers, col- lecting a few soldiers in the ports of the sea of the Antilles, and furnished with ammunition, proceeded to conauer kingdoms. Not less brave than Pizarro, Benalcazar, at first his lieutenant, became his rival in glory. Quito, Pasto, Popayan, and the valley of Cauca, acknowledged his authority. Tlien, passing the Quindiu and tlie Magdalena, and arriving in the plain of Bogota, at the moment when Quesada had completed its conquest, he became one of the founders of the capital of these rich posses- sions. Upon hearing the recital of so many famous exploits, at the sight of the fields of battle, and the impregnable places where the Spaniards fouglit, it is difficult to explain how they ob- tained such rapid and astonishing success, espe- cially if credit be given to the accounts of tlie first historians, of the considerable number of inha- bitants who were found there. But, already mistress of the coasts of Africa, Spain only aban- doned them for those of America, because the population of the latter were found to be less numerous and warlike. Besides, being assisted by the intestine quarrels among the Indians, the Spanish captains every where found traitors to I 1 14 TRAVELS IN THE be g-ained over ; these acted as guides, and dis- covered the ambushes laid for them, while women served them as interpreters and spies. Recruiting- was particularly carried on at St, Doming-o ; this island was already filled with negroes and mnlattoes ; they were formed into regiments, and sent over to the continent. These men were the best soldiers that could be era- ployed in this burning climate. It is doubt- less by inheritance that the Indians still indulge an implacable hatred against men of colour. These, after having contributed to the con- quest of such rich empires, weie now to assist in peopling them ; for the conquerors having im- prudently employed in the mines, and in the labours of the field, the Indians, for a long time accustomed to idleness, and incapable of work- ing in the burning lands of the tropics, M^iere their fathers were not born, had sunk under the weight of fatigues, which were indeed light, but to which they were not accustomed. Let the white and feeble population of our Antilles be forced by their masters to dig the earth for a few days, exposed to the burning heat of the sun, although that under which they were born, and the race will gradually sink, and at last entirely disappear. This was what happened in the Ame- rican archipelago ; at the end of two centuries none of the natives were to be found. Those of the plains of Venezuela, would likewise have UKPUHLIC OF COLOMIUA. 115 (lisappeaied had tliey not taken refnge in tlie forests of Oronooko. Such was not the case in the mountains ; the painful labours of agricultuie were not fatal to any of tlie Indians, because they were under a climate suited to their strengtli; thus, the number of Indians, far from diminishing, was consider- ably increased. The African then could alone resist the tro- pical heat : he alone, could be forced against liis inclination to labour without perishing from grief and fatigue. Permission was therefore asked of the Spanish government to allow the impor- tation of them. The court of Madrid hesitated a long time before it would grant this dangerous privilege ; it was at length forced from it, in order to appease the cry of humanity which rose on behalf of the Indians, and to people those vast empires which, even before the conquest, pre- sented so many deserts and solitudes. Thus the negroes destined to cultivate the American soil, first entered as slaves into those countries, which they were one day to share with their masters. The latter not having been accom- panied by women in their perilous expeditions, at first they took those of the vanquished nations, and soon afterwards, those of their slaves. These last in their turn, fastened in the cn- comicndas to the same chain as the Indians, overcoming their antipathy to these companions I 2 116 TRAVELS IN THE in misfortune, asked, and obtained leave to intermarry with them. It is thus that the entire population of Venezuela, the whole ot whose features announce an Asiatic origin, as- sumed a thousand different hues ; the white co- lour, however, was considered as exclusively entitled to respect, and the women coveted the honour of leaving to their offspring this proud inheritance ; so that, in a short time, the number of these half whites, or children of Indians and Europeans, was prodigiously increased. A great portion of the Indian family soon became so amalgammated and confounded with them, as to induce the belief that they had been all mas- sacred by the Spaniards. At the same time, this family already much mixed, was further augmented by a multitude of negresses ; but, notwithstanding these numer- ous crossings of the different races, the honour ot peopling the continent still belonged to the white race, and the number of men of colour was far less than in the Antilles, where the white colour had a constant tendency to lose itself in that of the blacks. Having become masters of the coasts, the Spaniards lost no time in building several forts, where, defended from sudden surprise and al- ways ready to embark on the first serious at- tack, they prepared for the conquest of the interior provinces. Their positions were well rkpublk; of Colombia. 117 chosen, tliey availed themselves of the suggestions of nature, which, in different parts, oftered them places proper for resisting on one hand, external enonies, already jealous of their conquest, and on the other, those who in the interior, were meditating but too late to wrest them from them. Puerto Cabello, la Guayra, defended Venezuela ; Maracaybo. the entrance of the Cordillera, Santa Martha and Carthagena, the rich canal of the Magdalena ; San Thomas, the Oronooko ; Pana- ma, the important passage of the two seas. Their flag was hoisted on several points of the coasts of the South Sea ; and Spain, in these latitudes then unknown to the nations of Europe, was not under the necessity of making its sovereignty otherwise respected. Upon advancing into the interior of the country, they never neglected building a tem- ple. They had taught the Indians to respect these asylums, by granting them their lives, when, after a defeat, they fled to them : these churches also served to induce the savages to quit their forests, by the attraction of the cere- monies in which the Spaniards always display much magnificence. But if they desired to establish themselves in places inhabited by these ferocious nations, the house of the curate was always fortified, while a ditch dug around the inclosure of the village, defended it against a surprise ; notwithstanding 118 TRAVELS IN THE these precautions, numbers of tlieni were de- stroyed by the Panches and the Andaquis. Better informed of the enterprises and designs of the Spaniards, these two tribes waged a long- and cruel war with them as late as the commence- ment of the last century. Although the establishments of New Gre- nada became every day more important, the people were still poor ; churches alone were ornamented, the dwelling's were nothing but huts of mud and straw. To possess a cock and a hen, was to be rich ; a cow, a bull, and a horse, were a fortune. It was not till the seventeenth cen- tury, that some fowls were seen at Bogota, and the name of him who first introduced them, has been preserved with almost religious veneration. Provisions were then scarce and dear ; the usual food was the fruits of the earth, which were exceedingly multiplied, for no one ever travelled without carrying seeds with him. Glory consisted iu gathering a new fruit, and luxury in presenting it to one's friend. After the lapse of a century, the face of the continent was changed ; forests were cut down to make room for orchards. Cattle were multi- plied in the rich pastures which bordered the banks of the rivers, horses and mules became more common ; and man, M^ho without their assistance, laboured with difficulty, could, when possessing them, undertake larger operations. UKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. II!) Open roads, and increase the number of villages, for he was then enal)led to transport at a small expence the produce of his fields. The villages were now enlarged, and the wretched fortifications, which formerly enclosed them, fell into ruins. Before the eighteenth century, towns began to be raised, at the head of which the capital Santa-F^ soon equalled those of Europe of the third class. This increase of the population occasioned a new division of South America. In 1718, New (yrenada, dependent upon Peru, was erected into a viceroyalty ; and in 1731, the provinces of Vene- zuela were placed under a particular government. Thus, in the space of a century, from a few scattered tribes of cannibals, and African slaves, a new Spanish people had arisen, having the same worship, government, laws, customs, and lan- guage ; Spain had not founded colonies, but had created nations and empires. Before being agri- culturists, the first American colonists were mer- chants ; this so enriched the maritime towns, that tliey soon acquired greater importance and extent than those of the interior. Carthagena and Panama especially became rich and populous. Afterwards, witliout disparagement to their in- terests, they found rivals in the inland towns, which, at length, eclipsed them when the people became agriculturists, Caracas, Santa-Fe, and 120 TRAVELS IN THE Quito, had no equals on the unhealthy coasts of the sea. Before undertaking any agricultural schemes of importance, capital was necessary. At the time of the conquest, the Spanish soldiers soon dissipat- ed what they had gained by pillage. The Jews and Moors, who had embraced Christianity, in order to be allowed to enter America, had bought up these spoils at a low rate ; and, being for the most part established at Popayan and Antioquia, tliey commenced working the mines so abundant in these provinces, and which had already been turned to some account by the Indians. Africans, transported at a vast expense into these distant countries, dug trenches in every direction, and following the system, which they had seen adopt- ed in their own country, confined themselves to washing the earth. The metal at length appeared in large quan- tities, and Spain then found that, if the conquest of Mexico had put her in possession of the richest silver mines in the world, that of New Grenada, had given her a territory abounding in gold. She had established a mint at Mexico, another at Popayan, and a third at Santa-F^ ; notwithstand- ing the clumsy method of the negroes, more than two millions of gold piastres were annually pro- duced from the smelting houses of New Grenada. Previously to the introduction of these establish- REPUBLIC OF COLOMJilA. 1 2 I iiients, macuquina was the only money struck : this was a shapeless coin, without border or effig-y of tlie prince; intHviduals also could ob- tain tlie right of coining money, upon payment of a small douceur *. As may be supposed, Spain did not receive the whole of this precious metal ; on the contrary, she was obliged to pay a con- siderable part of the local expenses with money drawn from Mexico. The towns, however, were increased and beautified, and agriculture began to be in repute. It was divided into colonial agriculture and European agriculture : the former, in more able hands, would have made inmiense progress ; sugar, coffee, and cocoa, grew with wonderful fecundity ; the indigo and the cotton-tree were indigenous and wild plants. But all these were neglected ; Caracas alone undertook to at- tend to them, and its exportations consequently- doubled those of the viceroyalty. The provinces which formed New Grenada being composed, for the most part, of cold regions, had lavished their money, and the sweat of their brow in cultivating our grains and fruits ; but with such little me- thod, that they scarcely could produce sufficient for their own consumption. Fruits, abandoned to the care of nature, reseinblcd those of Europe in apppearance rather than in taste. * Jove. Memuria at virei/ Samanon. 122 TRAVELS IN THE The industry of all these countries was but very homely : a few manufactures of cottons for the clothing of the people, were to be found, and nothing- more. Spain, upon this subject, was inexorable, notwithstanding her own manufactures were very limited ; and although she was thus obliged to purchase at foreign markets the articles necessary for her American colonies. Her only object, liowever, in these prohibitions, was a system of rule which should insure her an empire of three centuries. In fact, regarding their colonies as integral provinces of their empire, the kings of Spain had forbidden the culture of the vine at Quito, but had permitted it at Lima. Olive- trees were to be seen at Chili, while they were not allowed to be planted at Buenos Ayres. New Grenada was obliged to close up its silver mines, at the requisition of Mexico ; who, rich in its metallic operations, did not possess the right of undertaking agricultural or other enterprises, which would have interrupted its relations with the mother country. The small number of the inhabitants, their ignorance, the mildness of their character, their docility, the authority of the clergy, rendered it easy to establish any form of government ; but the distances, the dif- ficulty of communication, were obstacles to its consolidation not easily to be surmounted : each revolt might produce a schism. The mea- sures adopted were very sagacious, and disjilayed UKPUHLIC OK COLOMBIA. 123 a rare foresig-ht in the advisers of Charles V. The habits of both people were monarchical, but the licence of warfare, and the independance of the savage life, had imparted both to the conquerors and the conquered an impatience of controul difficult to be overcome. Both parties acknow- ledged the superiority of the mother city, and felt sensible that they stood in need of its sup])ort ; the former, for the peaceable enjoyment of their conquests : the latter, for the amelioration of their condition — all were anxious for a mixed government. In consequence, the superiority was preserved to the victor by the vice-royalty, and protection to the latter by the municipal code, — to all, a defence against European op- pression by the establishment of audiences. The country was divided into a vice-royalty and captaincy-general, subdivided into lieute- nancies, provinces, magistracies, commander- ships and missions. The government founded in America expe- rienced the lot of all human institutions : it was disfigured by abuses, the municipal government degenerated into a tyrannical oligarchy, because intelligence was rarely to be met with. The members of the audiences, Avhose duty it was to defend the oppressed, became themselves the oppressors. The vice-roys were deceived, or af- fected to be so, and were careless of their duties from an eagerness to advance their fortune ; and. 124 TRAVELS IN THE lastly, the Council of Castille, established in 1511, from the want of correct information, often pronounced erroneous decrees. But notwithstanding- all these defects, the Spanish colossus was firm and unshaken ; its coasts were ravaged, its seaport towns burnt, and its fortresses besieg-ed ; but its territory was still untact. If Anson returned victorious from the South Sea, another English admiral, Vernon, being repulsed at Carthagena, retreated with his army in disgraceful flight, and found refuge in his fleet. Spain carefully guarded her widely- extended coasts; and, notwithstanding her mis- fortunes and her decadence, she left to America the greater part of the treasures drawn from her bosom, in order that these countries might enjoy a tranquillity unknown to the mother country, upon which England made war every twenty years, in order to deprive her of the little riches she received from her colonies. It is an historical fact, unique of its kind, that, under the protection of a people few in number, without industry, without commerce, badly armed and defended ])y an ill-organized marine, a whole world enjoyed, without inter- ruption, a peace of three centuries. At the end of a century, the roads were all safe, the cannibal tribes had fled far from civilization, or had re- ceived its benefits ; morals, though not pure, were decent ; religion, every where respected by RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 125 the people, drew still closer together tiie ties of society by the sacraments which render them in- dissoluble. A few soldiers in the capital formed the body-guard of the viceroy, but not a satel- lite was to be found in the other towns of the interior; the only use of arms was against the wild beasts. The different provinces had a free intercourse, which was kept up between the dif- ferent provinces ; that between New Grenada and Caracas was alone forbidden. Tlie Spanish government, already foreseeing the dang'erous ambition of the inhabitants of the plains, was anxious to prevent its crisis. The taxes were moderate, the navigation of the rivers, fishing, hunting-, the clearing and draining of the lands, were all as yet unincujnbered by any law. No right, but that of individuals, was as yet known ; provided their property was respected, the cutting down of trees, the changing the course of rivers, the destruction of animals ; in fact, an indulgence of every possible caprice was allowed, without paying any tax to government, or soliciting a special permission from rich and overgrown proprietors. 12(3 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER Vn. Revolt of Socorro — lusiirrectioii of 1794 — Spauisli Viceroys — Revolt of Ca- racas in 1810 — Revolt of New Grenada — The Viceroy Aniar — Mi- randa — Bolivar — IMonteverde reconquers Caracas — Bolivar passes over to Curasao — He abandons it — Returns by Carthageua to Cara- cas — Is defeated — Crosses the Cordillera — Seizes Santa-Fe — Marches to attack Castillo at Carthag-ena — Is defeated — Passes over to Jamaica — General ambition — Morillo subjects the country. By one of those sudden impulses, which even the sagacious policy of Spain could not foresee, the Americans roused themselves from their lethar- gic supineness, and shook off the trammels of ignorance. In 1781, the imposition of a tax, called the Alcavala,* caused the province of Socorro to rise. For the first time the American population flew to arms ; and marched against the rebels, who had advanced even to the gates of Bogota. The archbishop, a man who was much esteemed, met them, and succeeded by his temperate and persuasive remonstrances in appeasing the tu- mult. The Socorro was pacified. As a reward for important service, the archbishop received the viceroyalty. Spain, ill at ease, immediately or- * Benedicto Domingues. Memoria Manuscrita. RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 127 tiered the nuiiieroiis and rebel population of the ISocorro to be decimated, by sending a great portion of it to the pestilential plains of the coast. Spain now thought its empire as tirndy reesta- blished as ever ; its foundations were, however, shaken. Every shock felt by the mother coun- try, vibrated even through the lowest hut of America. In 1794 the fermentation became more ge- neral in New Grenada. Some intelligence of the state of France had reached them, and the prin- ciples which were then prevalent there had found their way into South America ; the Rights of Man had even been published at Santa- Fe. This move- ment was suppressed, the copies of the book were burnt, and the translators of it, who were very young, were sent to Spain in irons. All these measures could not arrest the dan- gers which threatened the mother country ; they only retarded it. The news of the imprisonment of the King of Spain, in 1808, was a spark which kindled a general conflagration. French agents arrived in the name of Joseph, to demand from the Ca- racas the oath of fidelity. Their orders and pro- posals were answered by cries of long Hue Ferdi- nand VII, and by depriving of their situations all persons suspected of being attached to the French interest. This first act was the signal of 128 TRAVELS IN THE independence ; for the mad expedition of Miran- da, the agent of England, in 1806, did not extend beyond the capture of a few places : driven from his ephemeral conquests, this general had only time to effect his escape to Trinity Island. By a singular election, Spain had conferred the command of her provinces upon none but old men without capacity or courage — the soldiers who defended them, effeminated by a long peace, gained over by gold and the blandish- ments of their friends, for a great number of them were Americans, desired nothing more than to betray the Spanisli cause. Quito, which had already been in a state of revolt, in 1809, had, with difRcultv, been made to return to her obe- dience ; she was the first to raise again the stan- dard of rebellion, in 1810; this, however, did not affect the rest of the countrv. It was not the same with that of the Caracas, which burst out on the 19th of April, 1810, and was followed by a manifesto. In this the avowed object was that of guarding against the pretensions of Europe, the intrigues of the French cabi- net, and the designs which the central junta might have upon the country ; of maintaining the political character, of supporting to the ut- most, the legitimate dynasty of Spain ; of as- sisting Ferdinand VII on his liberation from cap- tivity, and of preserving the honour of the Spa- nish name, by offering an asylum to the refugees RK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 129 of that generous nation. The secret intentions of the conspirators were easily to be seen through, in the ambiguous expressions of the pretensions of Europe, and political character.* It was not long before the revolution broke out at Santa-Fe : wlien the news arrived that all Spain had bowed beneath the yoke, it was no longer possible to prevent the insurrection ; the inhabitants flew to arms, under the pretext that the troops of Bonaparte were about to enter New Grenada. A junta was formed on the 23rd of July, 1810, which declared that they acknow- ledged Ferdinand VII as the sovereign of Cundi- marca, the ancient name which was again re- stored to the viceroyalty ; a courier was at the same time dispatched to Caracas, to inform that city of the resolutions which had been adopted ; with orders to subscribe to them. Caracas then no longer dissembled its projects, and answered that it would never acknowledge kings, nor adopt any form of government but such as might be established by its representatives. The inhabitants of Santa-F^ de Bogota, al- though ignorant of the answer of the town of Caracas, did not themselves abide by their first resolution. ^rhe viceroy Amar, of a mild disposition, was incapable of adopting the measures required by * £1 Espagnol, a periodical work printed at London, 181'^. K 130 TRAVELS IN THE circumstances ; a quarrel between a Creol and a Spaniard, wliich was carefully inflamed, was the signal for revolt ; the viceroy was dragged to prison, and then, by a strange caprice, was placed a few days afterwards at the head of the government. Finally, on the 15th August, he was carried off from the palace, and sent to Car- thagena, under the pretext that it was his in- tention to sell America to Bonaparte at the rate of two reals per man and one real per woman ; the women carried their animosity so far as to ill treat the vice- queen. The news of this revolution soon spread through all the provinces, and each of them, de- claring its independance, had its congress, re- presentatives, ministers and presidents. It was a singular and novel spectacle to see ministers of state of one and twenty years of age, and presi- dents of four and twenty : the conduct of affairs was confided to rash and adventurous young men. What is worthy of remark in the American revolution, is the rare integrity of the viceroys. All fled, not one accepted a sceptre, which was doubtless offered them. It is difficult at first to understand why the military, who had taken up arms in the name of Ferdinand VII, should suddenly have declared against him. But the men who had every where placed themselves at the head of REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. lljl the iiisiiiTection, were the principal personages of the country, titled men ; little satisfied with tlie distinctions, which had been conferred upon them less as a reward for their merit, than as a compliment to their fortune, they imagined themselves called to pass from the rank of the first of American subjects, to that of sovereigns.* Accustomed to consider the favorites of the mo- narch as their masters, if they were not actually so, the people obeyed whatever impulse they gave them. As soon as regiments were formed, and discipline established, they looked upon the lieutenants, captains, and colonels, appointed by a dozen persons, as lawfully commissioned. Dur- ing several years, no others were known ; their names became dear to the multitude, for they spoke the language of enthusiasm, and employed the fascinating charm of American authority and glory, which began now to be separated from that of Spain. It was therefore not difficult to persuade the people to unfurl a standard dif- ferent from that of the mother country. In 1814, after the re-establishment of peace * One of the causes which have prevented the Spanish Monarchy in America from hecoming, like that of Charlemagne in ils decadence a feudal government, is tiiat there were none of those fortified castles in which the European nobility entrenched themselves, and defied their sovereign. In Ame- rica, all the towns, witli the exception of a few maritime places, are unfortified. i<2 1.32 TRAVELS IN THE in Europe, the Spaniards reappeared in Ame- rica ; relying on their strength, they disdained to parley with the insurgents ; and before they called upon them to surrender, began by fir- ing on them. It was easy now for the Ame- rican chiefs to persuade their soldiers that the peninsula had sworn to exterminate them. Attack was therefore answered by defence. Thus, on one side, there were rebels, on the other, enemies ; the cause of Ferdinand VII was almost entirely abandoned. Miranda had returned to Caracas in 1811, and easily obtained the command of the troops. Unfortunate in his new expedition, he was obliged to fly to Guyara, to embark on board an English corvette, which was waiting for him in that port. As the governor of this place, was one of his creatures, he thought himself in per- fect safety : he was however deceived ; the offi- cers of the garrison determined to give him up to the Spanish general in order to secure their own pardon. He was accordingly delivered into the hands of the Spanish commander, who, upon this condition, gave a free pardon to all the garri-j son of la Guyara. Miranda, sent from prison to] prison, at length died in that of Cadiz. In 1533, the overflowing of the Cotapaxi, coincident with the arrival of the Spaniards, had struck terror into the Indians, and the conquest of Quito by foreigners, was the consequence REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. K33 of lliis convulsion of nature. A similar event insured tlieni victory two hundred and seventy nine vears aftenvaids, tliat is in 1812. In the alarming earthquake which desolated Caracas on the 26th of March of that year, the people imagined they saw the hand of God punishing rebellion. They every where demanded their former masters, abjured their errors, and Mon- teverde, without any difficulty, reconquered Ve- nezuela. The joy at being again united to the mother country was now general, when, suddenly renounc- ing the clemency which had insured him victory, Monteverde imprisoned the sons of all the most respectable families, and by thus oppressing the province, furnished fresh pretexts to the insur- gents. The English were at that time in possession of Curagao, which they made the centre of the continental revolution, although they no longer subsidized it so liberally, but had almost aban- doned it to the chance of events. Bolivar lived at Curasao under their protection. Tlie faults of Monteverde were the origin of his ambition. Encouraged by the English, and by his own immense property, he imagined that he could conquer the provinces which were smarting under the tyranny of Monteverde, and act the part of Washington. He set out for Carthagena at the head of 134 TRAVELS IN THE fifty followers, took the route of Moiipox, Ocaiia and Cucuta, and met the Spanish general Correa, whom he defeated ; his numbers now increasing as he advanced into the interior, he appeared under the walls of Valentia. Here he found Monteverde, a battle ensued, and fortune de- cided in favour of audacity. Monteverde, beaten^ escaped to Puerto Caballo and took refuge within its walls. Valentia opened its gates to the conqueror. He did not stop here, but in the month of August 1819, entered Caracas, which he soon after quitted to re-enter Valentia. Upon the intelligence of Monteverde's defeat, Bobes, who was at the head of a thousand cavalry, marched against Bolivar, and routed him, Cara- cas again returned to its duty. These reverses did not however discourage Bolivar ; he did not seek refuge amid the forests of the Oronooko, but scaling the Cordillera, arrived at Tunja, and found victory where he only sought for an asylum. Narino, who, when younger, had distinguished himself by revolutionary principles, had returned into the kingdom. His name was sufl[icient to place him at the head of the insurrections which he had so ably directed. All the members of the congress, established at Santa-F^, had retired, af- ter investing him with a dictatorship, so much the object of his wishes. A congress had been established in each pro- REPUnLIC OF COLOMBIA. 135 vince ; so that Narino was only acknowledged in that of Santa-F(i. This was however too small a theatre for his ambition, an army was therefore dispatched under the command of Barraia, to es- tablish his authority in the provinces of Tunjaand Socorro, the inhabitants of which were parti- zans of a federative government. But he had confided arms to traitors, the soldiers and their chief being gained over by the congress of Tun- ja, disobeyed his orders and marched against him. They encamped to the number of 5,000 men upon Montcerrate, a mountain at the foot of which Santa-F^ is situated, Narino had only 2,000. He offered his enemies to capitulate, asking permis- sion to retire, but was refused. Upon hearing the answer of Barraia, despair and rage inflamed the little band of the dictator of Santa-F^, and avail- ing himself of this disposition, he rushed upon the rebels, completely defeatedthem, and re-en- tered Santa-F^ victorious. This city, which had been for three centuries the capital of a vast kingdom, refused to enter into the confederations which the other provinces were desirous of establishing, for tliis would have destroyed the supremacy it still enjoyed. In vain did it plead its situation, its riches, and the services it had rendered the cause of inde- pendence ; the provinces constantly refused to acknowledge it as the centre of government. The congress of Tunja in the mean time 136 TRAVELS IN THE participated in the consternation spread through- out the country by the victory gained over Bar- ra'ia. Narino knew not how to profit by his success, while the turbulent congress of Tunja, did not lose the opportunity of getting rid of the object of its fears, Quito, which had been in a state of insurrection a year previous to the gene- ral revolution, had again fallen into the power of the Spaniards. Pasto was about to share the same fate. Narino was offered the command of the army on the 9th of January 1813. Remem- bering that empire could only be attained by attaching the army to him by the ties of victory, he accepted it, began his march, and defeated the Spaniards in two engagements ; but was himself completely routed in a third. At his departure, he had made very prudent arrangements, having placed at the head of the government his uncle Alvares, who participated his hatred against the congress and the confede- ration. It was soon known at Santa-Fe, that Na- rino, after having lost his army, had fallen into the hands of the enemy. The factious re-com- menced their machinations, but were restrained for some time by the firmness of Alvares, whose efforts however, were at last paralyzed by a still more dreadful war than the former. The reader already knows that in 1814, Bo- livar, defeated in Venezuela by General Bobes, had escaped to Tunja, accompanied by a small REPUBLIC OP COLOMBIA. 137 iniinber of soldiers of the plains. He proposed to the congress, who were uneasy respecting the proceedings of Alvares, to march against him. His offer was joyfully accepted, and a few sol- diers were added to those already under his or- ders. Upon Alvares learning the invasion of this new enemy, he dispatched troops against him, they were defeated, and Bolivar, without losing an instant, followed up his success with such ardour, that he entered Santa-Fe, while his enemies still supposed him in the mountains. The taking of this town cost some blood ; Narino being much beloved by the soldiers of Alvares. In three days however all opposition was at an end, and Alvares, no longer able to defend himself, delivered into the victor's hands that dictatorship, which his nephew had lost toge- ther with his liberty in the mountains of Pasto. Thus in the nineteenth century, were re- newed the wars which the Spanish captains waged with each other at the commencement of the conquest. This first invasion of the Cordillera, by the savage tribes of the plains, caused much distress to the peaceful inhabitants, by giving them a foretaste of the wars, and dreadful irrup- tions which they must one day expect from the same quarter. Bolivar was hated by his fellow citizens of Caracas, and little liked by the people he had just 138 TRAVELS IN THE subdued ; the former being jealous of his success, the latter, because they had for a long time con- sidered the inhabitants of Caracas as foreigners. It was for this reason, that in 1815 when he re- quired a considerable sum to enable him to march against Castillo, his personal enemy, who was shut up in Carthagena, it was so readily granted him. The battle took place under the walls of that city, here Bolivar's good fortune abandoned him, as he was completely defeated, and his soldiers dispersed. Being fortunate enough to obtain permission to exile himself, he embarked for Jamaica, whence he proceeded to St. Domingo. Here a dutchman of the name of Brion, assisted him with funds, and Boli- var again set out for the continent, disembarked at Marguerita, marched to Guyara, and amid the deserts of that country, continued to har- rass the generals who were sent against him from Caracas. So many battles, attended with such various success, together with the legislative assemblies created in every province, had given rise to a general ambition. Every one was aiming at the dictatorship, and preparations were being made on all sides to wrest it from the hands of respective rivals, when Morillo, who had arrived from Spain, with a well disciplined body of troops, presented himself before Car- thagena : this place was vigorously defended. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 139 but at last European tactics prevailed ; the Columbians were vanquished, and the gates of Carthagena were opened to the victor. The respect which Spain still commanded, was favourable to the march of the Spanish ge- neral, and the inflexibility of his character sub- dued all opposition. One faction only now re- mained, that of the metropolis, Morillo marched against the capital, which, far from making the least opposition, received the conqueror with transports of delight. But these days of joy were soon changed into those of sorrow. Spain having imagined that the prodigious success of the convention in 1793, was only owing to the system of terror it had adopted, imitated this fatal example in Ame- rica. The most dreadful means were resorted to for the purpose of intimidating the insurgents. European pride had persuaded the greater part of the Spanish soldiers, that the Americans were without energy or courage ; and they con- sequently treated them with the same contempt, as Quesada, Pizarro, and Cortez had done the native Indians. • Times, however, had changed ; to men ill armed and terrified at the sight even of the Spaniards, had succeeded a race, mild, indeed, in disposition, but courageous and conscious of their equality with the inhabitants of the other hemisphere. 140 TRAVELS IN THE The more Americans Morillo ordered to be shot, the more the general discontent increased. The latter had imagined that the Spaniards would return to the system of mildness and pa- rental affection, which they had followed for three centuries ; but, on the contrary, found in them only executioners ; they had hoped the Spaniards would regard as brothers men who were estimable for their intelligence and ac- quirements ; the Spaniards hastened to teach them that knowledge only entitled them to pro- scription and death. The Spanish generals, after having glutted their fury and satisfied their pride, by humbling the men of the New World, who had dared to place themselves in competi- tion with them, thought they had for ever in- sured the obedience of the rest of the inhabi- tants. Considering the silence of terror as complete submission, they lived in the utmost security. RRPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. HI CHAPTER VIII. Samanon Viceroy — Spanish Soldiers—American Soldiers — Bolivar returns to Santa-Fe— Proceeds to Quito— Afterwards to Guayaquil — Charac- ter of the principal Generals. After having reconquered New Grenada, Mo- rillo employed himself in the pacification of Venezuela, and every thing appearing tranquil in the capital, he left Samanon there as viceroy. This simple old man, faithful to the system of barbarity and conscription, that formerly ren- dered the name of the Duke of Alba so justly odious, and being from his age the irrecon- cilable antagonist of every one that opposed his ideas, augmented the number both of the vic- tims and of the enemies of his country. All the Americans fearing lest they should be placed upon the lists of the proscribed, escaped into the open country, where Santander converted them into soldiers.* Morillo was soon at Caracas, where he found a few European soldiers, but, knowing the dis- advantages which he should experience in the plains against the savage inhabitants, he dreaded plunging into the forests of the Oronooko, where * Jove, Memoria manuscr. 142 TRAVELS IN THE he might probably encounter Bolivar, and possi- bly get defeated. In fact^ the Americans of the nineteenth century, were far superior in courage and ability to those who existed in the fifteenth, but it was not the same case with the Spaniards ; the heat, thirst, and the difficulty of marching through the country, which were no obstacles to their fore- fathers, were to them absolutely insupportable. They no longer possessed that force of cha- racter, that intense ardour, that unconquerable valour, which had been transmitted to their an- cestors with their Moorish blood. They were unable to endure, like them, the burning heat of the sun, while long marches with light cover- ings so lacerated their feet, that they were often obliged to remain shut up in the towns. Their arms were too heavy for their strength ; they were in want of magazines and fresh provisions; and they would have perished with hunger, if their general, like another Cortez, had set fire to their vessels. The Americans, on the contrary, marched barefoot, and contenting themselves with a few bananas, required no strong liquors to animate their courage ; for, if they carried these with them, it was to comfort those English soldiers, who had taken part in their quarrel. Their former dread of horses and fire-arms was anni- hilated, and they mounted the backs of the one. REPUBLIC OF COLOMHIA. 143 and availed themselves of the destructive powers of the other, with a rare degree of skill. Ac- customed, in their forests, to the pursuit either of wild beasts, or of their flocks almost as wild, they had acquired by this exercise the art of avoiding dangers, or the power of despising them, and they often employed no other wea- pons than the lance and the snare, which they used in the chase of savage animals. It was then neither the antient Americans nor the antient Spaniards, who found themselves opposed to each other ; both had experienced a change, and power had passed by inheritance to the inhabitants of the New World. Perhaps Spain would have acted wisely had she recruited her armies, either in the islands or upon the shores of Africa, and not have exposed her children to a climate too hot for the consti- tutions of Europeans ; in fact, they only possessed either physical or mental strength, under the temperate climate of the Cordilleras, for upon descending into the plains, the most valiant disgracefully took to flight. Alarmed with such a succession of misfor- tunes, the Spanish generals took advantage of the jealousies of the Americans, and engaged their assistance to fight the cause of Europe ; but they very little understood the art of ma- naging these ambitious men, who could not see without displeasure their rights usurped by the 144 TRAVELS IN THE arrival of Europeans, who were always admitted into the array as the superiors of the native officers, but never as their equals ; and as if this were not sufficient to damp the exertions of their auxiliaries, their devotion to the Spanish cause was treated with indifference, and seldom indeed rewarded with the least eulogium or recompense ; on the contrary, no occasion was allowed to escape for demanding- fresh sacrifices, which, when made, were received with disdain. Ignorant both of the means and of the value of effacing these differences between the American and the European, between the white and the black man, the Spanish officers seemed rather to be desirous of rendering them more conspi- cuous, and to take pleasure in showing, by the most marked insults, the contempt they enter- tained for those Americans, who, by their dis- tinguished services, had obtained the rank of sub-lieutenant. The soldiers of Bolivar, enrolled under the banners of a chief of their own nation, fought with ardor; and even his companions in arms, siirmounting that jealousy always excited by the elevation of an equal, were warmly attached to him. — They but little understood the precise meaning of the words Liberty and Independence, but they were sensible of marks of distinction, and Bolivar judiciously created and distributed them. — The camps of the Spaniards were abun- REPHBLIt; OF COLOMBIA. 14; dantly supplied, while every thing was wantin in 'that of tlielr opponents; yet desertions from it were very rare, and the scarcity passed unnoticed, for the Americans had always been accustomed to similar privations. — At first there was some difficulty in bringing- them to face the Spaniards, but at length they learnt to beat them. They also had the advantage of being perfectly ac- quainted witli the country ; while in their fellow countrymen, they every where found brethren, who aided them in the pursuit of their object, or concealed them when threatened witlj danger. The horses, well broken in were under more command than those belonging to the Spaniards, and like their masters could endure long fasts without much injury. Their arms were rude, but the address with which they were managed rendered them terrible. The chiefs possessed the same turbulent activity as the private soldiers, and knowing besides their habits, their sports, and their manners, far from wearying them with an oppressive discipline, they showed themselves to be their fellow warriors by participating in the same pleasures. This management of his troops was the great art of Bolivar ; his partisans in their en- thusiasm have compared him to Caesar, but he much more nearly resembles Sertorius. Like him, he had to reduce a savage people to obe- dience, and to combat a powerful and ex- L 14() TRAVELS IN THK perienced nation. The places of contest were nearly alike, for there was, in this portion of America, the same difficulties to surmount in the badness of the roads, and the height of the mountains, as existed in Spain in the time of Sertorius. Like him, Bolivar, disconcerted his enemies by the rapidity of his marches, by the suddenness of his attacks, and by the celerity of his flights, which rendered it easy for him to re- pair his defeats at a distance. In the mountains, he displayed the same activity as in the plains, and set an example of sobriety and temperance to his troops, wliose numbers he thus increased from those of a small band until they formed a powerful and irresistible army. If his military tactics were different from those of the Spaniards, his conduct was still more so. He knew how to gain the affections of mankind, by pardoning the vanquished and those who had deserted the cause of their country ; thus he increased their numbers. The priests even did not refuse him their prayers, for he respected their ministry, which had often been despised by the Spaniards, since their wars with the French ; and finally, by flattering the pride of the Americans, in con- stantly extolling their valour and intelligence, he, by these encomiums, rendered the disdain with which the Spaniards treated them still more in- supportable. Morillo was therefore little desi- rous of encountering on the banks of the Oro- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 147 nooko, Miis able chief endowed with the talents of William of Nassau, to whom the Low Coun- tries were indebted for their liberation in the reign of Philip the II ; and he turned his arms with more hopes of success againt the Isle of Mar- g-uerita, peopled with fifteen thousand men of colour, and commanded by Irismendi an officer of great bravery. This bulwark of American independence proved fatal to Morillo. His army was comple- tely defeated, and being obliged to return to Caracas, to his great chagrin he found himself confined to this place, nearly all his soldiers having been either slain in the field or laid up in the hospitals. He was in this situation when three thou- sand men arrived from Spain, under the com- mand of brigadier general Canterac, but he did not avail himself of this reinforcement until 1818, when he entered Calabozo. Bolivar who, for many months, had been wandering in the plains of Casanara, surprised him here in the night, and pursued him to the gates of Valentia. The Spaniards being here reinforced, attacked Bolivar in their turn, put him to the rout, and forced him to retreat once more to the province of Casanara. He there found new recruits ; its ferocious inhabitants eagerly desired to be led to battle. These shepherds, whose flocks from their wild state scarcely needed masters, were l2 148 TRAVELS IN THE always ready to march when the hope of pillage was held out to them. In 1819, Bolivar offered them that of Santa- F^ ; they immediately cleared the icy paramos of the Cordilleras, and near Sogamoso found the advanced guard of the army of the vice- roy, who had advanced upon receiving news of Bolivar's enterprise. This however proved uo check to the latter, who under favour of the night escaped Barrel ra, general of the Spanish troops, and leaving him behind him, proceeded by forced marches upon Santa-F^. Barreira, fearing lest Bolivar should enter this place, and, that favoured by a numerous party, he should make himself master of it, followed him with all expedition, and encountered him at Boyaca, a place situated nearTunja. After a sanguinary contest, Barreira was completely defeated, and was taken prisoner with twenty eight officers, who were all shot by Bolivar's orders. This was the first act of re- prisals of the Americans against the Spaniards; it has not been the only one. The disgraceful flight of Samanon and the re- capture of the chief town of the Cordilleras, by the inhabitants of the plains, enabled Bolivar to realize his promises to them ; warehouses full of goods together with the cash and jewels of those who had taken part with the Spaniards, were the recompense of this expedition. Bolivar was no longer an obscure partizan ; lU:PlJJiLIC OF COLOMHIA. 149 to have escaped, altliougb beaten, from Mori lie, to have seized upon tlie capital of the empire, and driven thence the representative of his king, to have defeated, with a few savages, eight thousand regular troops, elevated the conqueror of IJoyaca to a formidable rank in the public opinion. He was now left tranquilly to increase the splendour of his fame, for which, in the sequel, he was less indebted to his arms than to his policy, which more peaceably terminated the year 1821. Master of Santa-Fe, Bolivar quickly re- descended into the plains of Caracas ; frequent encounters took place between his soldiers and those of Morillo ; but the success was nearly equal. The chief of the independants was how- ever more fortunate in an interview which he had with the Spanish general, for he induced him to agree upon a truce for six months ; this the Americans violated by seizing Maracaibo. When hostilities recommenced, Morillo had re- turned to Spain, and was succeeded in the com- mand of the army by Latorre. This general was attacked at Carabobo by Bolivar, and being less favored by fortune than his predecessor, was put to flight, and only escaped the enemy by taking refuge within the walls of Puerto Cabello. Thus in 1821, Spain from despising the advice which had been given her of engaging Europe to support her in her contest with the American colonies by sharing them with her. 150 TRAVELS IN THE had lost her troops and her treasures in en- deavouring to regain those countries, the con- quest of which had formerly been effected without arms or money. No further resistance was offered to the authority of the dictator Bolivar ; a con- gress having assembled at Cucuta to regulate the basis of a new government, and the disorganizing principles of a federation between the insurgent provinces being buried in oblivion, all ambition ceased. The war however again broke out in the south ; and although at first it was considered only as a rebellion, it afterwards assumed the aspect, and brought with it all the horrors, of a civil war. Many that had fought against the Spaniards now began to regret their govern- ment, and preferred obeying masters rather than equals whose pride rendered them insupportable. Many partisans of the confederation, who had hoped to obtain new dignities under this regime, saw with regret that they had contributed towards tlie destruction of the Spanish dominion, without reaping any of those advantages from the revo- lution which they had expected. Even the con- querors after having re-united the provinces of the plains and those of the mountains under the same government, ridiculed the founders of the former republic, by designating it patria hoba, or the country of fools ; under which name were comprehended all the adherents of Narino. RKI'UBLIC OF COLOMIJIA. 15 1 Recourse was therefore had to arms, and in 1822, the insurrection of Pasto seemed to re- quire the presence of Bolivar himself with five thousand men. The chain of mountains which intersect this province affords an easy means of defence; craggy rocks, deep marshes, and impenetrable forests, inspire the inhabitants with a boldness always fatal to invaders. Bolivar attempted it, but found insurmountable obstacles both in the local dif- ficulties and the courage of the people; having nearly fallen into their hands, he escaped swear- ing to respect their liberty, and to allow them if they choose to obey the Spaniards. On this con- dition, which he bound himself to observe by the most solemn oaths he was permitted to with- dravv. A short time afterwards, at the head of fresh forces, he again entered the province, and after subduing it, marched to the assistance of his lieutenant Sucre who dared not attack Quito with the few troops under his command. Aimerichs, a covetous old man was now at the liead of the Spanish army, and conducted them against Bolivar ; but, paralyzed by age, he was unable to obtain the least success with troops, who being chiefly composed of Americans, paid no respect to a man so destitute of capacity : all was consequently in confusion, and his orders were continually either neglected or misunder- 152 TRAVELS IN THE Stood. There was indeed no discipline in either army ; but the esteem in which Bolivar was held, supplied its place, and produced an obedient respect for his person. The Spaniards, or rather the American Spa- niards, were thus soon put to flight by the inde- pendent Americans in a battle which took the name of Pitchincha, from its being fought in the vicinity of that dreadful volcano. The whole of the province was quickly subdued, and the re- mainder of the Spanish troops only saved their lives by soliciting the favour either of exiling themselves, or of betraying their standards : both conditions were granted them ; a small num- ber preferred misfortune to dishonour; the greater part, however, sided with the conqueror, and more than four hundred European Spaniards took the oath of fidelity to him. Guayaquil, which, under the Spanish govern- ment, had at one time been given to Peru, and at another to New Grenada, still hesitated which party to embrace ; but Bolivar soon fixed its indecision, and, marcliing against this opulent city, included it among those of the republic founded by him. The American generals who have most dis- tinguished themselves in all these wars are : Bo- livar, Santander, Sucre, Urdaneta, Bermudes, Paes, Montilla, and Padilla. — Bolivar is forty- two years of age ; his military abilities, and his REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 153 political character, have already been considered; his disinterestedness is greatlyextoUed, ids income being- principally devoted to the payment of the pensions which he allows to the widows and children of the soldiers who have fallen in battle. Although his education had been much ne- glected, a residence of some length in Europe had given to him a taste for languages and his- tory, in which he made a rapid progress, lie has already been compared to Sertorius ; and, in fact, his manner of making war, his long marches to come up witli his enemy, together with the quickness with which he traverses immense distances, give an idea rather of a bold partisan than of a general competent to the wielding of large masses ; two thousand more men would probably have embarrassed his plans. Nor is he supposed to possess more pro- found views in the art of governing. He has hitherto contented himself with founding a re- public, which is but a bad imitation of that of the United States, and which he can only main- tain by a standing army. This is chiefly com- posed of shepherds, who followed him from the plains to the heights of Santa-Fe ; it is in this portion of his troops that he places his chief con- fidence, and as the greater part of them belong to the cast of mulattoes, he is obliged to pay them great attention and to conciliate them by frequent rewards. 154 TRAVELS IN THE A happy chance has hitherto rendered him invulnerable ; his enemies, therefore, say that he possesses no courage ; but can this be the case with him who aspires to the supreme go- vernment ? He is not wanting in eloquence, for his speeches possess great warmth of sentiment, though they are often diffuse ; but this it must be admitted, is a fault difficult to be avoided in the Spanish language. He married in early youth, in Spain, and a few years afterwards lost his wife, since which he appears determined to pass the remainder of his days as a widower. The possession of a throne has not yet tempted him. Miranda said, that America was not destined to be a republic ; and Bolivar does not think it calculated to be- come a kingdom worthy of vying with those of Europe. The title of Liberator, by which he distin- guishes himself, is new in modern languages, and is synonymous with those of dictator and protector. His tyranny has not yet been com- plained of, and had he not now begun to exile the discontented, and to confiscate their property, the only thing he could have been reproached with would have been, that he has sometimes used reprisals in war. Santander was very young when he entered the army. Narino distinguished him, and made him a lieutenant : he afterwards marched against this general with Bai-raia. When the Spaniards REPUBLIC OF COLOMKIA. 155 were in possession of Santa-F^, he established himself in the plains of Meta, where he formed a band of three thousand men, with which he after- wards joined Bolivar ; a reinforcement which powerfully contributed towards gaining- the battle of Boyaca. His well-known firmness gave him a title to the vice-presidency, in which situation he has displayed the possession of such talents and merit as are seldom to be found. Sucre is not yet thirty years of age, and, like Santander, has acquired his distinctions by gain- ing a battle for Bolivar, namely, that of Pitch in- cha, which procured him the post of command- ant-general of Quito. Urdanita, descended from a respectable family at Santa-F^, has the merit of possessing much courage ; he has been ill for some time, and seems to have retired from the service by ac- cepting the presidency of the senate. Bermudes, fifty years of age, was born at Cumana, and entered early into the American revolution, in which he has acquired an influence which though considerable, is not however equal to that of some of his companions in arms. A khan of Tartars, an Arabian sheik, has given the rudest shocks to the Spanish power in America. — The mulatto Paes, at the head of a few thousands of his savage lancers, has often defeated whole squadrons of disciplined troops; particularly the hussars of Ferdinand VII. This 156 TRAVELS IN THIv man^ who, upon the banks of the Oronooko, might easily play the part of Artigas upon those of La Plata, remains faithful to Bolivar, whose generous conduct and affable manners have gained his attachment. Paes affects great luxury and particular po- liteness ; yet, not\vithstanding the vanity natural to a savage, he lives upon terms of perfect equa- lity ^vith his troops ; when he is with them, their food, their games, and their exercises, are his own. No one rides a horse better than he, or wields a lance with more dexterity, or attacks an enemy with more fury. He thus possesses abso- lute power over his undisciplined hordes, who, tractable towards a leader that sets them an example of courage, obey him with the submis- sion of slaves. His fortune has been considerably augmented by numerous gifts, and thus Spain has been deprived of a man, who has become the terror of her troops. Montilla, the rival of the chief of the Llanos, formerly served in the body-guard in Spain, and expected to find in the revolution the means of improving his fortune. The influence he enjoys appears dangerous in the eyes of the government ; and, although he has been stationed at Cartha- gena, he is still too near to Caracas, where the persons of influence are desirous of opposing a chief to Bolivar, and would willingly choose Montilla : his manners are very prepossessing, ri:public op Colombia. 157 and having been educated in Europe, he ex- presses himself with facility, an advantage not common to the majority of Colombians. He is accused of falsehood, and his reserve and apparent contradictions are considered as proofs of duplicity ; but it is his ambition which fears discovery and endeavours to conceal itself. It is also known that he has some causes of ha- tred which are rarely ever forgotten. He cer- tainly must bear in mind, that Bolivar, in 1811, in a moment of passion, swore to shoot him if he could lay hold of him ; and, confounding Miran- da with the patriotic party, he will doubtless re- collect, that this general had promised to expose him for twenty-four hours to public view in an iron cage. The mulatto Padilla is a general whose ser- vices have not been without advantage to Ame- rican independence. This pilot of Carthagena, raised by the revolution to the command of a flotilla, contributed more than any one else to the captui-e of Carthagena from the Spaniards, and subsequently that of MaracaTbo. Sacrificed at first to the party that Montilla wishes to de- fend, he has since been re-established with a fresh degree of importance; a circumstance which has produced great joy among the people of colour, who were not ignorant that the dispute between the two generals was a quarrel of colour. All these men, at present the subalterns of 158 TRAVELS IN THE Bolivar, appear rather his equals than his lieute- nants ; but, after his death, or even after a de- feat, it is possible they may put themselves at the head of the party that they have secured to their interests. It is in this particular that Boli- var will most resemble Alexander. Paes, with his negroes, will occupy the plains ; Montilla, Caracas ; Padilla, the coasts ; and Sucre, Quito. Thus all depends upon the existence of Bolivar. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 159 CHAPTER IX. The new government — Constitution of Cucuta — Division of the country into departments — Renewal of the Cabildos — Civil laws — Justice^ Congress — The Executive Power. When the Spaniards had abandoned the Ame- rican territory, Bolivar, supreme master of all the country, abdicated the dictatorship ; but *. perhaps in divesting himself of this power, he only made himself more certain of exercising it. He afterwards enployed himself in forming- a government for the provinces of Caracas, and New Grenada, and in cementing their unions in order to make but one republic under the name of Colombia. A congress at San-Toma (Guyana) had al- ready, on the 17th of December 1819, formed one upon the model of that of the United States ; but this was designed only for the province of Venezuela. A fresh congress was therefore assembled at Cucuta, on the 18th of July 1821, and the re- union of the two provinces of New Grenada, and of Venezuela was here decreed. The first however preserved its ancient supremacy, because the seat of government was fixed at Santa-F^, 160 TRAVELS IN THE although it was ultimately resolved that it should be established at Cucuta, in bestowing on that town the name of Bolivar. Venezuela, the birth place of the chief of the republic, possessed all the appointments. On the 30th of August 1821, the constitution of Colombia was proclaimed at Cucuta. It is composed of ten chapters, and one hundred and ninety articles, of which the following are the principal :* The government of Colombia is that of a popular representation. In each parish there is an assembly of the people, which meets every four years on the last Sunday in the month of July. The right of voting belongs to every Co- lombian, who has attained twenty one years of age, who can read and write, and who pos- sesses the sum of one hundred piastres. The members of this assembly name the electors of the cantons, who must be twenty- five years of age, possess land of the value of five hundred piastres, or an income of three hundred piastres. These electors of the canton, form the pro- vincial assembly which meets every four years on the first of October. Their office is to elect the president and vice-president of the republic, * Cuerpo de Leyes de la republica de Colombia. IIKPUULIC OF COLOMBIA. IGl tlie senators of the department, and the repre- sentative or representatives of the province. Tlie electors exercise their functions for four years. The legislative power is confided to a con- gress divided into two chambers, that of the senate and that of the representatives. The requisite qualifications of a senator, are, his being a native Creole of thirty years of age, his possessing a property of four thousand dollars in land or an annual revenue of five hundred dollars, or his exercising a learned profession ; or, if the candidate be a foreigner, he must have resided in the country twelve years, and must possess landed property to the value of sixteen thousand dollars. Four senators are named for each depart- ment ; the duration of tlieir functions is, for two of them, eight years, and for the other two, only four years. The ditterences are to be decid- ed by lot, so that, according to tlie law, one half of the senate may be renewed every four years. The impeachment of the public function- aries belongs exclusively to the senate. The chamber of representatives is composed of deputies elected in the ratio of one for 30,000 souls ; but there are some provinces where this number is not necessary. When the number of one hundred representatives is completed, the M 162 TRAVELS IN THE elections are to be continued, if permitted by the increase of the population^ at the rate of one deputy for 40,000, or even for 50,000 souls, until the chamber be increased to one hundred and fifty deputies. To be a deputy the person must be twenty- five years of age, and a landed proprietor to the amount of two thousand dollars, or 500 dollars of income, or a professor ; a residence of two years in the country before the time of elec- tion, or of eight years, if not born in Colombia is also required, and in the latter case the quali- fication is increased to ten thousand dollars of landed property. The chamber of representatives has an exclu- sive right of impeaching before the senate, the president, vice president, and ministers of the republic. Publicity of discussion, the exclusion of all the principal public officers from the legislative functions, and the inviolability of the mem- bers during the existence of their term of elec- tion, with an allowance* for their expenses, are articles common to both cliambers. The principal business of the legislative body is to fix the expenses of the state ; to * The representatives receive nine dollars per day, during the whole time of the sessions, besides one dollar per day for their travelling- expenses from their residence to the place where the congress meets. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 163 levy taxes ; to decree the necessary loans, the value of the current coin, the creation or suppres- sion of public employments, witli the amount of the salaries ; the raising and organization of the armies ; to declare war and peace, and the limits of territory ; and, in fine, to establish the courts of justice, and to grant the dictatorship to the executive power. A president and vice president, whose func- tions last for four years, and who cannot be elected more than once, compose the executive power, the former receives thirty thousand, and the latter sixteen thousand dollars per annnin ; in case of death, their functions are to be exer- cised by the president of the senate. The president, who is not permitted to leave the territory of the republic, assembles tfie con- gress and commands the armies ; he has the power of opposing his veto to any law projected for the first time, but when a majority of two thirds of the legislative body has accepted it, he is forced to give liis consent ; he has the right in concert with the judges to commute all capital punishments. His council is composed of the vice president, and the minister of the high court of justice, with the ministers of foreign affairs, of the interior, of the finances, of the navy, and of war, whose duty it is to give the congress, either verbally or in writing, every explanation that may be required M 2 164 TRAVELS IN THE of them. The salary of these secretaries of state is six thousand dollars. The third branch of the executive power, but the least effective, though the most necessary, is the high court of justice participating of the French council of state and court of cassation. The high court of justice is composed of five members, viz. three judges, and two fiscals, who must possess the three indispensable qualities of being electors, counsellors of law, and of being thirty years of age. The high court of justice decides respecting the claims of foreigners, and pronounces upon the difficulties or errors which may have arisen in the inferior tribunals. Notwithstanding the importance of these functions, the members are appointed by the senate, upon the presentation of the president, after the names of the candi- dates have been canvassed by the chamber of re- presentatives. The duration of their employ- ment is guaranteed to them, as loug as their conducl gives satisfaction, a condition which leaves open a vast field to the arbitrary will of the senate. Other inferior courts will be established throughout the republic to facilitate the admi- nistration of justice ; the members will be no- minated by the president. The territory of the republic has been divided into seven departments, each containing a certain number of provinces subdivided into cantons. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 1()5 The following is a list of them, to wliicli have been added the computed state of the population of each province and department, the nuniher of senators elected for each department, and the I)laccs in which the commissioners reside. According to this table the population of Co- lombia should be 2,644,600 souls,=^ but another author-f reckons them only at 2,500,000. It is dif- ficult to give any exact calculation on this point, * Consequently less considerable than that of Egypt, al- though the country is more extensive, t See note the find. NAMF.S NAMES Popula- Popula NUMBER NUMBER PLACES of tlic of the tion of each tion of each of senators cleclcd by ofrepresenta lives electee of residence of the com- de]iarlmcnts. provinces. prov. dep. each dep. by each |irov missioners. r Guyana. '1.5,000 2 Oronooko. y Cumana. S Barcelona. ' Marguerita. 70,000 45,000 1.5,000 175,000 4 2 2 1 Cumana. Venezuela, : Caracas. : Varinas. t Coro. 3.50,000 Bo.OOO 30,000 430,000 4 12 3 1 Caracas. Sulia. ITrujillo. 33,400 4 1 MaracaVbo. i Merida. 50,000 162,100 2 ' MaracaVbo. 48,000 2 ' Tunja. 300,000 7 Bogota. ) Socorro. 100,000 4 5 Tu 'ja. 1 Pamplona. 75,000 444,000 3 , Casanare. 19,000 1 1 ' Bogota. 172,000 6 Cuiidinamarca. < 1 Antjoquia. 104,000 4 i 1 Mari(|uita. 45,000 371,000 2 Bogota. ( . Neiba. 50,000 2 Caiica. : Popayan. ; Choco 171,000 22,000 193,200 4 6 1 P<'l>ayan. Magdalena. < ; Carihagena. Santa .Martha Kioliacha. 170,000 62,300 7,000 239,500 4 6 2 1 Carihagena. Panama. 50,000 Veragua. 30,000 Uuito. 150,000 Guijos.TndMacos. as, 000 Cuenca. 78,000 Jacn. 13,000 Mainas .36,000 I.oxa 48,000 Guayarjuil. 90,000 166 TRAVCLS IN THE for who is able to reckon the tribes that have been ranged, without their consent, in the number of Colombians, and who, by turns monarchical Spa- niards, or republican Colombians, live equally independent of both these powers ? Another division called maritime has also been established, and the coasts have been di- vided into four departments. The first comprehends Guyana, Cumana, Barcelona, and the island of Marguerita. The second, the coasts of Caracas, Coro and Maracaibo. The third, Riohacha, Santa-Martha and Carthagena. The fourth, the coasts of Atrato as far as those of Veragua. Nothing has been determined respecting the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. A commandant-general and an auditor of marine govern each province. The administration of each department is committed to a commissioner named by the pre- sident ; the salary of the commissioners is six thousand dollars per annum, and their functions cease at the end of three years. A practitioner in the law is attached to them as an assessor. Each province has a governor, who is under the orders of the commissioner, and whose pow- ers cease at the same time as his own. The cantons are under the direction of civil RKPUBLIC OF COLOMIJIA. H)7 judges or sub -prefects (formerly called corrcgi- dors). The cantons arc subdivided into cabil- dos or municipalities, of which the alcaids are the representatives. There are two alcaids in each chief town of a canton, and two inferior ones in each parish ; their duties consist in maintaining good order and tranquillity. They are charged with the superintendance of the primary schools, and the hospitals ; with the repairs of roads and pri- sons ; with the cleanliness of the towns, and with the distribution of encouragement to com- merce and industry. It is recommended to them, by the forty- eighth article of the law upon the organization of the departments, to be obedient lo the civil judges, and to all other superior authorities. Three years ago, the cabildos were filled by men inimical to the new system, but it has now been decided that the primary assemblies of the year 1822, should renew every appointment, and that henceforth these bodies should them- selves proceed as formerly, to nominate their successors. Colombia comprises two archbishoprics, that of Caracas, and that of Santa-Fc, botli of which are vacant. Their suffragans are the ten bishop- rics of Popayan, Carthagena, Santa- Mart iia? Merida, Guyana, Antioquia, Quito, Cuenca^ Maynas, and Panama, these three last have been 168 TRAVFLS IN THE detached from tlie archbishopric of Lima, and it is intended to form them into an aichbishop- ric at Quito. The sees of Maynas, Cuenca^ Santa-Martha, Antioquia, and Guyana are vacant. Those of Carthag-ena and Quito are being filled up*. The congress of Cucuta displayed an ex- traordinary activity, for they did not restrain themselves to the fundamental laws which have been noticed, but decreed a number of additional ones. They abolished the duties upon pass- ports, as well as those paid by the washers of gold, and the tribute levied upon the Indians. They framed a very long regulation upon the direct contributions, with another upon the con- scription ; gave the property of suppressed con- vents to the schools ; destroyed the inquisition, and consigned to the archbishops and bishops the judgment of the causes appertaining- to that tribunal. Amongst their decrees may be re- marked many against the moderalists and the disaffected, whom they finally expelled from the territory of the republic. They abolished the duties of transport, and of excise upon the pro- ductions of the country, and reduced these im- posts to a duty of two and a half per cent upon foreign commodities. Tliey promulgated a law upon the enfran- chisement of slaves, which had at first been * See Note III. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. \(VJ solicited by the congress of Venezuela, and af- terwards rejected by this province and that of Popayan, as being dangerous and pernicious to the prosperity of the state. They decreed the right of personal liberty and the liberty of the press ; the confiscation of the property of emi- grants, and the coining of platina and copper money. They granted a general licence for dis- tillation, upon the payment of two piastres per month, and five dollars for each cantara of bran- dy ; they also permitted the retailing of it upon paying two piastres per month. Their most important law was that upon stamped paper, which they divided into four classes. That of the first pays twenty-four dol- lars ; the second, eighteen ; the third, twelve ; and the fourth, six. All instruments, even peti- tions are written on this paper. Lastly, tliey enacted that the nation should have the right of reforming or remodelling the constitution within ten years, from the year 1821, during which period the republic of Colombia is to be governed by this prodigious number of decrees, regulations, and laws. The executive power is more enlightened than the congress. It is often called upon to correct the numerous errors in the decrees of this first branch of the state ; in other respects, a sufficient understanding prevails through the ditferent members of the administration. Am- 170 TRAVELS IN THE bition not finding men at hand, capable of comprehending or supporting it, affects devotion to the cause, and does not separate itself from the mass of the nation. A people familiarized with monarchical ha- bits, might, perhaps, have been more easily advanced by means of a simpler form of govern- ment ; thus notwithstanding the wisest inten- tions, the four or five persons that actually com- pose the government are but ill obeyed. Many other reasons contribute also to the same result ; amongst which may be reckoned the different castes, and the claims of a few generals, with whom, although their demands are sometimes exorbitant, it is necessary to pre- serve a friendly understanding, as they have it in their power to subvert the present established form of government. The so much desired reunion of Caracas and New Grenada, has increased the public bur- dens, without augmenting the means of support- ing these expenses. The province of New Grenada, which con- tains very few blacks in comparison with the white population, voted for their enfranchisement; while Venezuela being overstocked with this mutinous people, demands that they should again be marie slaves. Caracas complains that its ser- vices have been rewarded by placing the capital in a province formerly its rival. 8anta-F^ ac- RKPUIILIC OF COLOMIUA. 171 kno\vk'(lg;es that it has received the barren pri- vilege of being, as formerly, the seat of govern- ment, while the employments and money are reserved for the intriguing people of Venezuela. Guayaquil wished to be an hanseatic and in- dependant town, and the riches it receives forms at present one of the greatest revenues of a re- public which it could purchase. Pasto, covered with mountains, desires to preserve the independance which Bolivar had recognized when he wished to escape from the hands of its ferocious inhabitants. Even the Indians demand leave to pay again their tri- bute, whilst others are hurt at having tlieir name of Guagires changed into that of Colombians, without their consent; as if the republic had inherited them as a conquest made from Spain. The blacks cry out for liberty, the mulattoes, for the extinction of prejudices; the Indian mu- lattoes, for the termination of the war ; and the Indians, for the restoration of their privileges. A rupture threatens to divide each province. In Venezuela, Montilla is the hope of the great white families. Paes at the head of his ca- valry is the hero of the people of colour, and Sucre might desire to be something more than the mere creature of Bolivar, in the southern provinces which his ability has reduced. Such are the difficulties which the govern- ment has to surmount, and which it combats with 172 TRAVELS IN THE considerable ability; but it is sometimes obliged to abandon the pul)lic revenues to the avidity of the principal chiefs, and to leave private fortunes to be plundered by their favorites. Besides which, far from accomplishing its wish of bringing the clergy into discredit, this order has increased in spite of government, for many enter into it, as into an inviolable asylum. The different branches of government must necessarily languish in the midst of so many dis- orders, arising from the fury of a civil war, re- kindled from time to time in different places ; at Maracaibo, at Puerto-Cabello, at Santa-Martha, at Pasto, and in many parts of the plains of the Oronooko. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 173 CHAPTER X. Return to Bogota — Puentc Real — Copper mines of Moniquira— Chiquin- quira— -Salt mines of Zipaquira. After making a stay of five days in the ca- pital of Socorro, I resumed my route to Bogota, and at an early hour traversed the pleasant vil- lage of Las Palmas, Following at a distance the lofty chain of Opon, upon whicii many liabi- tations may be perceived, we had to cross a bridge ; here a toll of 3 sous was to be paid, from whicli however I was exempted by the address of a na- tive with whom I was travelling, and who, un- known to me, passed me off as an officer of the republic ; a title which supersedes all payment : such an abuse is however ill calculated for the encouragement of useful enterprises. The bridges in the province of Socorro, are of a very simple construction, and for their preservation are cover- ed in with a tiled roof. In the evening I entered Guadalupe, this village is situated on a plateau already elevated, as indicated by tne thermometer which was only at 15°. This change is also, in a great measure, owing to the storms which continually rage here; the air is sharper ; no goitres are to be seen. Tlie next day, we descended upon the unhealthy banks of the Suarez ; as, at Socorro, the thermometer 174 TRAVELS IN THE stood at 20". The waters of this river are very dangerous, generally causing fever to those wlio bathe in them. A sudden indisposition with which I was attacked, in the midst of these unwholesome regions, from inhaling the air loaded with putrid effluvia and myriads of insects, con- vinced me that the report of my boatmen was but too well founded. I therefore hastened to quit them, and in proportion as I ascended into a purer atmosphere the inconvenience I felt gra- dually diminished, till upon my arriving at San- Bendito (14°. R.), I found myself quite well. Tliis village is entirely built with the fossils of am- monites of which the neighbouring mountains are full. A lead mine has been discovered in an adjoining village, called Guadera. Upon leaving this village, I continued tra- versing more elevated places, filled likewise with fossils ; but as these mountains are all composed of schistus, the road, in consequence of the rains, had become almost impassable. This bank of fos- sils which commences between Guadalupe and San-Bendito extends as far as Moniquira; some scattered layers are found in the province of Tunja. They follow the curve described by the chain of Opon, from the 74th to the 75th degree of west longitude. We slept at Puente Real, a village now in ruins. Stuffs were formerly manufactured there, which were as much esteemed for the brilliancy of their colours as those of Cucuy ; but all tlie workmen have disappeared, and the manufactures REPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 175 witli tliciij. Piientc Real sends some of its i)ro- diice up the Magdalena, by the route of Velez, the first town founded by tlie Spaniards in New Grenada. Formerly the communication witli the river was by the road of Curare, where a very rich gold mine called Corcobada, has been disco- vered ; this route has now been abandoned on account of the diseases which proved fatal to the majority of travellers. Puente Real is the limit of the political frontier of Socorro, in fixing wliich the go- vernment has judiciously followed the sugges- tions of nature. In ■ fact, that opening of the Cordillera, which forms the province of So- corro, the declivity of which is directed from Moniquira to San Gil, here becomes narrower, and the traveller finds himself among the moun- tains which till then extended like immense walls upon his right and left ; those of the east- ern side, being known by the name of Serinsa, those on the western by that of Opon. Tlie in- fluence of the rainy north-east winds begins to diminish at Puente Real, and a little higher, they become the bearers of fine weather. The valley of Socorro must be rich in me- tals, excepting gold, which is not supposed to be very abundant. Its numerous strata of schistus contain iron and copper in large quan- tities Quitting the road from Puente Real to Bogo- I7f) TRAVELS IN THE ta for that of Moniquira, whicli is in a south south-east direction, I began to traverse the vallies which intersect the higher parts of the Cor- dilleras ; the roads were dreadful ; for, the de- clivity of the mountains which I was ascending, being precisely the point most exposed to the clouds of the north-west, and one upon which they burst with the greatest violence, the whole of the surrounding country is an immense marsh, into which one sinks at every step. The soil is however the more fertile, and the natives assiduously cultivate it ; but of what avail is so much abundance ? surrounded on all sides by fields covered with luxurious vegetation, the wretched huts of these people, present the extre- mity of misery. This sight is the more striking, on arriving from Socorro, whose inhabitants are much more wealthy and happier. Great numbers of Indians are seen here, as if these people had reserved to themselves the places where the severity of the climate placed a bar- rier between them and their masters. Moniquira is perceived afar oif; a solitary palm-tree raises its head in the middle of the town ; a signal by which it is recognised at a great distance. I entered just at the same time with a man who was conducting two chil- dren with their hands tied behind their backs. Upon seeing me, they threw themselves at my feet ; I gave them some money, which they RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 177 received with inucli surprise, for as they took me for an officer of the republic, they did not expect to have been even noticed. Notwithstand- ing- their wan and yellow complexions, which in- dicated long- fast and excessive fatigue, they gave the money to their mother, who followed weeping most bitterly. The physiognomy of their conductor was harsh in the extreme, and could only be exceeded in brutality by his language. On hearing him, I involuntarily recollected the slave merchants wiiom 1 had seen on the African coast, driving- their victims before them in flocks. This recruit- ing- officer was asked in my presence, why he had brought such tender soldiers ? " It is not my fault," replied he, '* nothing else was to be found at Santa-Anna ; every one fled on my arrival." This was not the only afflicting sight I wit- nessed at Moniquira. The dungeons were filled with conscripts torn in a similar manner from their families. Crowds of women, the mothers, wives or sisters of these unfortunates, besieged the gates of the prison, anxious to get conveyed to them all they could procure from the pity of the inhabitants of Moniquira. Quitting this unfortunate village the next morning, I directed my steps towards the cop- per mine, at the risk of disappearing amid the deep marshes, which obstruct all the roads. As we apj)roaclied the mine, we remarked that N 178 TRAVELS IN THE the gi'cater part of the quartz rocks, with whieli the country is filled, were covered with oxoid of copper. We at length reached the mine ; all was dry here, the rain had entirely ceased; we were in a different region. Domingo Corre- dor, the proprietor of the mine, had the polite- ness to conduct me thither, and we descended by means of pieces of wood fixed in a rope. This mine is situated on the banks of a river. There are but three miners employed ; the produce of the mine is therefore only estimated at two hundred arrobas of copper in eighteen months.* This mine was purchased for four thousand piastres, and, if worked in a more scientific manner, would probably produce immense pro- fits. But in its present state, it only produces suf- ficient for the consumption of the surrounding province. On quitting this mine, the traveller crosses the Moniquira, where great numbers of otters are caught ; he then traverses Ecce Homo, a village quite deserted, and arrives at Suta, very rich in nitrous earth. The valley of Suta is very agreeable, its verdure flourishing, and its temperature milder than the rest of the province of Tunja: it is bounded on the south by a very high mountain, on which are a number of small * The «;apital sunk in this tnino docs not proihin* more than three per rent. REPUBLIC OF COLOMIUA. 179 crosses : this is the road traversed by pilgrims on their way to Chiquinquira ; we met several of them; their noisy mirth, tiieir songs, and bursts of laughter, were sufficient proofs that no ideas of austerity were associated with this pilgrimage, but that, on the contrary, it is a species of amuse- ment. It was not till the r2th tliat I could enter the Notre Dame de Lorette of Colombia. The church of Chiquinquira is built upon a regular plan ; its interior is very simple. I had expected to have seen it filled with ftll the riches of the countiy, but I only found a few silver plates covering the altar ; this last was decked with flowers, and numerous censers exhaled perfumes which scented the whole edifice. The image of the Virgin is placed behind two gold embroidered curtains. One of the sacristans drew them with trem- bling hand, and I contemplated the sacred image at my leisure : it is a wretched painting on can- vass, representing a woman in a standing atti- tude, having on each side of her St. Anthony and St. Andrew. The image now shewn is new ; and by a miracle truly divine, was found in the place of the old painting, which had begun to fall into rags. From November to April, the box of the Dominicans who have the care of the precious deposit, is filled with alms, olierings, and gifts. N 2 180 TiiAVF.LS IN THE The numerous ex-votos do not, as in European ca- tliolic chu relies, hang suspended from the roofs ; the sanctuary is not encumbered with rich stuffs, as at Mecca ; the offerings are here all collected in chests, which cannot take long filling, since no mass is said under six piastres, and as the rich inhabitants who repair hither from Popayan and (iiron to thank the Virgin for the recovery of a chid, &c. sometimes give more than a hundred. The priests belonging to this temple lead a very delightful life in the convent which they have built near the church ; they are twelve or fourteen in number, and are replaced by others every six months. They are not, however, idle amid so much wealth : the administration of the property, which piety pours into their hands, requires much care ; it is very discreetly em- ployed ; a great portion of it is appropriated to enlarging the convent, ornamenting the church, and especially to increasing the revenues, already considerable, of three farms which belong to the Virgin of Chiquinquira. The attachment manifested by the Domini- cans for this precious relic, is therefore very natural ; nor can they be blamed for having re- fused the offers made them by the secular clergy of Bogota, of farming it for forty thousand piastres. Cervi^re, a French officer in the Colombian service, imagined, that if he could get possession uki'ublk; of Colombia. LSI oi' tliis sacred image, the people would come and adore it at any place to which he might remove it, and that thus he, as the new pontiff', would reaj) the offerings of the pious. He was, however, deceived ; the profanation excited the utmost horror, not a devotee made his appearance. Cei- vi^re was routed at a short distance from Bogo- ta, to which place he had retired ; and being more anxious to effect his own escape than to save this new labarum, he abandoned it at Ca- kesa ; the afflicted Dominicans repaired tliither, and brouglit it back in great pomp to Chiquin- quira ; the pilgrimages immediately recom- menced. Upon quitting Chiquinquira, I passed through several fine farms. Suta was the next village : it is situated in the midst of a plain terminating at the paramo of Noa, which is only separated from Chiquinquira by a hill of small elevation. I afterwards arrived at Funequc : in the north- west there is also a lake of this name. A little beyond this handet is Ubate, a village of peculiar cleanliness for these regions ; the schoolmaster has adopted for his sign the letters of the alphabet. The usual resting-place for the night is Suta Pelado (peeled) : it is thus distinguished from the other Suta, on account of the scorching wind which burns up all the harvests, and ruins the farmers; this generally happens at the j)e- riod when liie easterlv winds blow, these 182 TRAVELS IN THE coming from the snowy summits of Cucuy, pass over the province of Tunja, which is much lower than Suta Pelado. When viewed from this vil- lage, it appears an immense plain, the eastern paramos of which terminate the horizon ; it is nevertheless very mountainous. Beyond Suta Pelado is the Venta del Alto de la Crux ; the traveller then passes the Boke- ron de Tauza, an opening- made by the hand of nature in the midst of the mountains of Tau- za : a salt mine is being worked in the neigh- bourhood. We suffered much from the cold as we traversed the paramo of Tauza ; but I soon forgot all my privations and labours, in once more seeing the beautiful plain of Bogota extend itself before me as far as my eye could reach. I hastened my descent, and was soon at Zipa- quira : it was market-day, a numerous and busy population imparted peculiar animation to the roads and streets. On every side, small tables, on which were placed a cloth and a loaf, served by way of sign to the different inns, and invited the traveller to enter : from the general bustle, one might have imagined one's-self in the capital of a vast empire ; it was, however, only a village, richer in the possession of its salt mine, than Choco in the midst of the treasures with which it is filled. I remained only one night at Zipaquira ; the next day I traversed Gaetan, and afterwards REPUBLIC OF COLOMRIA. l83 fouiul Diysclf iiiiiong^ the forests of apple-trees in which the Indians of Chia have constructed their huts. From thence, I proceeded to the banks of the Conimun, which I crossed on a bal- sa, or raft ; and then arrived at the Pantanal, which, in the rainy season, is a deep marsh. It was not without difficulty that we made our way along^ the road which leads to Bogota, and it was night when I re-entered that city after a month's absence. The montli which I again passed there was employed in collecting all that appeared to me proper to give an idea of the capital of the repub- lic of Bogota : this will form the subject of the succeeding chapter. 184 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER XI. Sunta-Fe dc Bogota — Climate — Houses — Furniture — Catlicdral — Convents — Hospital — Colleges — Tlie President's Palace — Palace of the Deputies — Palace of the Senate — Prisons — The Mint and Theatre — Streets — Police — Market — Paupei> — Public Walks — Mode of Living" — Shops- Amusements — Fete Dieu — Manners — Devotees — Scientific Establish- ments — Character of the Inhabitants. Compared with the other arts cultivated in Colombia, architecture is the one which has made the greatest progress ; a circumstance the more surprising, as all instruction in it is con- fined to that furnished by books and engravings; sculpture and painting are still very backward, but it may justly be anticipated that greater advances will be made in them than has hitherto been done. The houses in the country are in general, merely huts with mud walls, straw roofs, and lea- thern doors. They usually contain two rooms, one of which is for the kitchen ; the other, in which the family lives, is divided into two ; the one used as a parlour, the other as a bed-room. The furniture is extremely simple. Bananas and other vegetable plants, the favorites of the American, form a pleasing shade around the exterior of the dwelling. REPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. l8o More taste is observable in the villag^es. The • church is hiii^e and very neatly kept ; it has bells, and almost always an organ, while the curate's house, ornamented with a balcony, has the air of a palace. From these two edifices, in- dividuals have derived all their architectural ideas. The towns are handsome, large, and agreea- ble in proportion to their locality, the commerce they carry on, the influence they enjoy, or the rank they possess. The most important town of Colombia is Panama ; the best fortified, Carthagena ; the most agreeable, Santa-Ffe ; the best built, Po- payan ; the richest Guayaquil ; the most lively, Zipaquira ; the best situated, Maracaibo. Cara- cas is said to have eclipsed them all, but Caracas is now in ruins. Quito, by all accounts, is su- perior to any in population ; but this advantage could not procure it the honour of being the ca- pital, and Santa-Fe, is almost its rival even in this particular. All the towns of South America are nearly constructed on the same plan. The founders al- most every where, have traced out a cross, of which the principal square and church form the centre. The Spaniards have, generally speaking, built their towns at the foot of mountains, and very rarely in the midst of \Uv plains. The 18G TRAVELS I\ THE object in the first instance was to provide against surprise, and at present these positions have the advantage of affording plenty of fresh water, which the Spaniards have not neglected to dis^ tribute in every direction by means of aqueducts. Another method which they make use of to en- liven the towns, is that of whitening the outside of the houses, which gives them an appearance of much neatness. The principal streets have troitoirs; in fact, the useful and the agreeable have been much less neglected in America than Europeans are willing to allow. No town possesses more natural advanta- ges than the capital ; if less cleanly than others, the fault must be attributed to the climate, and to the immense traffic daily carried on there. Santa-Fe de Bogota was founded in the plain of that name, on ttie sixth of August 1538,* at the foot of two mountains of considerable ele- vation. At that time it could only reckon twelve huts, and about sixty inhabitants. Des- tined to become a town of considerable extent, it rapidly increased ; for, two years after its foun- dation, it was considered of sufficient impor- tance by the Spanish court, to be raised to the rank of Ciudad, (city). Its present popidation is estimated at 30,000 souls-f Quesada had * S. M. Salazar. t See note IV. ULl'UBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 187 admirably chosen the site of a town which was one day to give tiie law to a great part of the Cordillera. Situated between two moun- tains which shelter it from the violent hur- ricanes of the east, it receives from them con- stant supplies of fresh and pure water, and commands the plain, so as to be able to de- fend itself against any enemy from that quar- ter. Santa-Fe, may be seen at a great dis- tance, especially the belfrey of the cathedral, but the natural frame-work in which the town is in- closed is so prodigiously vast, that it disap- pears in the immense shadows projected by the mountains over its public edifices. The climate of Bogota is generally rainy and cold ; the thermometer seldom rises above 12" to 14', and frequently falls to 6° or T. The sky is always cloudy, and there are but few of those fine days which even in the se- verest winters, we enjoy in Europe. The climate of Bogota may indeed be tlius apportioned, six months of continued rain, April, May, September, October, November and Decem- ber ; three months showery, June, July and Au- gust ; and three others uncertain. North north- west winds invariably bring storms, which some- times last several days together, and form large collections of water in the plain. Notwithstanding the excessive humidity predominant even in the houses, the climate is 188 TRAVELS IN THE not unhealthy, epidemics arc never known. Euro peans, provided they take the precaution of not getting wet in the feet, enjoy good health, after having had, on their arrival, the fever for a few days ; this, by some has been attributed to their fatigues, it may rather be referred to the tropical influence which, although weakened by the elevation of the land, acts nevertheless very powerfully upon Europeans. The inhabitant of the tierras calientes, is much less exempt from dangers than ourselves ; the cool and limpid streams of the mountain, which he drinks with so much delight, never fail to give him the dysentery, which, in numerous instances, proves fatal in a short time. Even the inhabi- tants of Bogota, are oftener ill than foreigners ; another proof that the cause of these affections is less to be sought for in the climate, than in the mode of life, and the food they make use of. The ladies rarely go out. Domestic habits, joined to severe stomach-aches caused by the garlic, tobacco, pork and chicha, of which they partake very freely, cause them to be almost continually indisposed. A dreadful disorder de- termines still more in both sexes, numerous infirmities, of whicli intemperance, more than climate, is the cause ; to this may be attributed the rheumatisms, hysterics, tooth-aches, and sore throats, so generally complained of, and lUPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 189 vv'liicli soon assinnc tlic most dreadful cliarac- ter. All possible precautions are had recourse to in these cases, warm clothing is much used ; but the disorder does not lie in the air. The whole of South America is subject to earthquakes. Santa-Fe has experienced several ; this it is which prevents the houses from being very high, althougli in their construction the same principles of architecture have been followed as the Spaniards, used in all their towns, those of Bogota differ more than any of the others: in their construction they use bricks baked in the sun; the greater part are covered with tiles, and the external walls are whitewashed. As to the interior of the houses, they are not better arranged then our's were at the time of the discovery of America. Windows very small and always bar- ricadoed by large wooden bars, are seen by the side of others of an immense size ; the beams are rarely concealed by a ceiling ; the walls have enormous projections ; the doors are of all heights, the use of locks is scarcely known, at least those manufactured in the country, afford but little security. The use of glazed windows is bat of recent introduction ; a less barbarous taste is however observable, in the construction of many modern habitations, and several improvements begin to appear. Light and convenient balconies have superseded the enormous iieavy galleries; the ceiling is no longer disagreeably intersected 190 TRAVELS IN THE by beams, the windows are without barricadoes ; the street doors better painted; a general neatness is indeed being introduced through all classes. In general two gates are to be passed before ar- riving in the court yard. The entry which sepa- rates it from the street is but too often a recep- tacle for the uncleanliness of the passengers. A gallery generally runs round the court, if the house consists only of a ground floor ; but if of two stories, a covered terrace. The staircase is generally of stone, and of very rude construc- tion : on the wall of the first square is generally painted a giant, carrying in one hand a child, and in the other a ball ; this is St. Christopher, the household god of the country. Round the inner gallery is a long suit of rooms, which only receive day-light through the door. Every house has at least one saloon, and an eating-room ; for it is considered unpolite to receive friends, or to entertain them in a sleep- ing-room. The kitchen is always of an immense size, less on account of the quantity of provisions cooked, than the number of useless servants as- sembled there : there is no chimney, stoves only are used. No houses are seen without carpets ; the ancient straw mats of the Indians are no longer used by fashionable people, but are superseded by carpets of European manufacture. Both of these are destined, if there be no fire, to warm KEPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 191 tlie apartments, and to conceal the inequalities ol the floor, where unfortunately the negligence of the servants permits the most loathsome in- sects to swarm in immense numbers. Some persons cover the walls of their chambers with (lied paper ; and numbers have garlands of flowers, and genii drawn upon it, in a style alike indicative of the bad taste of the painter and his employer. The furniture is simple, and usually consists of nothing more than two sofas covered with cot- ton, two small tables, a few leathern chairs, after the fashion of the fifteenth century ; a looking- glass, and three lamps suspended from the ceil- ing. The bed is tolerably well ornamented, but feathers are never used, it is formed of two wool mattrasses. With some slight difference, all the houses resemble each other ; notliing serves to distin- guish those of the ministers, and it would be dif- ficult to recognize the president's, were it not for the guard at the entrance. The architects of Santa-F^, I repeat, will always have an excuse to justify the deformity of their edifices, viz. the nature of the ground, which, being so often convulsed, compels them to sacrifice elegance and majesty to solidity, thus it is that the houses are so low, although the walls are prodigiously thick. The public build- ings are also obliged to have enormous founda- 19'i TRAVELS IN THE tions, and the shafts of the columns of the churches are less in proportion to the weight they have to sustain, than to the shocks which they are required to resist. The architecture of some, however, is in a purer style. Tlie cathedral in particular, erected in 1814, is remarkable for the simplicity of its interior, redeeming, in some degree, the bad taste to which its facade is indebted, for an accumulation of lines produced without harmony, and intersecting each other without the least symmetry. The other churches of Bogota, to the num- ber of twenty-six, are, on the contrary, resplen- dent with gold ; no temple of the Incas was ever so dazzling. But, although the magnificence of the cathedral itself is not so great, the treasures it possesses are more valuable. One statue of the Vir2:in alone, out of the many which adorn the altars, is ornamented with 1358 diamonds, 1295 emeralds, 59 amethysts, one topaz, one hyacinth, 372 pearls, and its pedestal is enriched with 609 amethysts ; the artist was paid 4000 piastres for his labours. A great number of churches are dependent upon convents, the revenues of which are very considerable. There are nine monasteries and three nunneries : those of the Dominicans, and of the monks of San Juan de Dios, are tlie most richly endowed. Four-sixths of the liouses REPUBLIC OF COLOMBJA. 193 in Bogota belong to tlieiii. These retreats, of regu- lar construction, are more remarkable for solidity than beauty of architecture. The building is generally square ; in the centre is a court-yard ornamented by a fountain, and having a double range of galleries round it, the lower one of which is generally filled with wretched paintings, repre- senting the history of the saint at wliose prayer the convent was founded. Some of these convents have colleges or hospitals dependent upon them. The monks or San Juan de Dios are particularly devoted to tlie relief of suffering- humanity. What a pity that their hospital has so disgusting an appearance ! wooden beds offensive from dirt, upon which lie patients, in rooms inaccessible either to light or air ; heaps of filth and ordure in the yards ; kitchens, in which victuals are cooked with all the neglig-ence and nastiness peculiar to the den of a savage ; straw carpets, black with mud and all imaginable uncleanness ; dead bodies exposed on the ground to the view of the dying, are objects which might impair- health the most vigorous, and render any cure effected in this loathsome abode, a subject of the utmost astonishment. The colleges are attended to with more care ; they are three in number, and are all well situ- ated and well-built ; the principal one, that of the "Tesuits, possesses the character of solidity peculiar to all the edifices of that famous order. o 194 TRAVKLS IN THE Tlie iiiajority of the professors wear the ton- sure ; a very small proportion of them being lay- men. The course of instruction in these estab- lishments consists of the Latin language, philo- sophy, the mathematics, and theology ; the pupils are required to devote four hours a-day to study. A three months' vacation is allowed at the end of the year. It might be imagined, from the pompous title of palace, given to the ancient residence of the viceroys, which is now occupied by the president of the republic, that a sumptuous edi- fice would present itself; it is, however, nothing more than a house with a flat roof; two adjoin- ing ones, much lower, ornamented with galleries, together with the prison, constitute the whole of its dependencies ; here are also the offices of the ministers of state. Upon entering the palace, stair-cases without the least pretensions to ele- gance, and galleries equally devoid of taste, pre- sent themselves ; no hall leads into the presence- chamber : it is entered either from the presi- dent's bed-room, or from a small anti-chamber. A few sofas covered with red damask, a worn-out Segovia carpet, some lamps suspended from the cross beams, which, for want of a ceiling, give this part of the saloon the appearance of a barn, would make it difficult to conceive the idea of a palace, were not the apartment decorated with a throne covered with red damask, a few looking- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 195 glasses, glazed windows, and some wretched paintings. The idea of regality is still furthei- increased by a troop of twenty hussars guarding the avenues ; these, notwitlistanding their want of boots and horses, and the wretched plight of their uniforms, give the stranger a hint that he is within the precincts of royalty. The place, dignified with the name of the palace of the deputies, is nothing but a large house situated at the corner of a street, the ground-floor of which is let out in shops for the selling of brandy. The first objects which at- tract attention upon ascending the stair-case, are two Fames painted upon the wall, at the foot of which is this inscription : " No country without laws." Having gained the inner gallery, the noise which escapes through a small door in- dicates it to the visitor to be that of the Hall of Assembly. This consists of a long and narrow room, in the middle of which has been erected a wooden balustrade, upon which the spectators lean ; for no one is seated but the representatives, who are economically placed upon arm-chairs made of polished wood, with leather bottoms, ranged in long rows ; within the balustrade, eight chan- deliers, glazed windows, and a matting, com- pose the decorations of the palace of deputies. Upon quitting this, it is only necessary to cross the street to enter the palace of the senate, which is perhaps still more simple than tliat of o 2 196 TRAVELS IN THE the representatives. The Dominicans having granted this body one of the wings of their con- vent, it was fitted up in a similar maimer to the Hall of the Deputies ; the walls are, however, ornamented with emblematical figures. Under one of these which represents Justice, the ignorant painter has written Policy. Thus in the palace there is neither salle de reception, hall, nor anti-chamber, and when the ministers attend to make any communication to one of the chambers, they are obliged to wait upon the staircase, till the usher of the house, who is at the same time manager of the theatre, comes to disengage them of their umbrella, and invite them to enter. In their places of confinement the Spanish Americans have established a system of excessive indulgence. The prisons are on the ground floor, and the windows are sufl&ciently low to allow the passers-by to converse with those incarce- rated ; as to state prisoners, they are treated with greater severity. The other public buildings in Bogota are the Mint and the Theatre. The internal arrange- ments of both of these are excessively bad ; neither of them seems adapted to the objects for which it was intended : it is however very sur- prising to find establishments of this kind in places so far removed from all communication with Europe. REPUBLIC OK COLOMBIA. 197 In this respect Bogota resembles, in some degree, the European factories on the coast of Africa: within the town many institutions and customs of the other capitals of the world are to be met with ; without, all is different : one is in the centre of Africa, surrounded by barbarians, the greater part of whom have no other cloathing than a shirt and drawers ; the abundance even of the fields, so regretted by the Americans wlio visit Europe, an abundance in comparison of which the riches of our industry appear as wretched poverty, seems to the European, a wild and savage luxuriancy. The three principal streets of Bogota, are cheerful, tolerably regular, but badly paved. The trottoirs are liowever better than in the other Spanish towns, and passengers walk sheltered from the rain, by favour of the projecting roofs of the houses. It was a saying of one of their viceroys that Bogota had four police officers, to keep the town clean, the gallinazos (vultar aura), the rain, the asses, and the hogs ; the same observation will nearly apply now; but the streams of fresh water which run through the streets would cleanse them still more efficaciously, if, at eight o'clock in the evening, the idleness of the inhabitants did not convert them into filthy and infectious sewers. 198 TRAVELS IN THE At night, a few lanterns placed at the corners of some streets, shed a feeble and imperfect light, while the warehouses are committed to the care of nightly watchmen, in spite of whose vigilance they are occasionally broken into. The squares are spacious, and are all ornamented with foun- tains. That of the palace is on Fridays con- verted into the market place, which forms an interesting object for foreigners, notwithstanding the confusion among the immense crowds which repair on that day to Bogota. This market is full of provisions, meat, vege- tables, and fruits of every description. Those of Europe and America may here be seen mingled together, on one side are hampers full of straw- berries, on the other, ananas, aguacates, peaches and apples ; near heaps of cabbages, carrots and potatoes, are yuccas, and bananas ; and among sacks of maize, barley and corn, are piles of cocoa, and loaf sugar ; in one place are sold numerous healing herbs gathered by the Indians in the paramos, in another, pinks, roses, and jes- samine are exposed for sale. Bogota is subject to a dreadful nuisance ; every Saturday, the poor rush into the town as if to take it by assault ; they besiege every door, and to gain admittance, endeavour to excite compassion by the exposure of the most revolting infirmities ; old men led by children form nu- RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 199 merous groups, which throughout the day ob- struct the streets and even block up the thresholds of the houses. In the neighbourhood of Bogota, are some very agreeable walks whicli, although shaded by willows and ornamented with rose trees and the beautiful cardamindum. are little frequented; the preference being given to a few select streets, the trottoirs of which offer a commodious prome nade, as from them gentlemen on horseback may be seen traversing the town at full gallop ; the greater part of these horsemen are bedizened with gold, and glittering in military uniforms; some with round hats ornamented with plumes of fea- thers, others with cocked ones, and a still greater number wearing shakos and helmets ; although their own appearance is upon the whole striking, that of their horses, which resemble norman ponies, is so wretched as to lessen the effect considerably. Upon arriving at Bogota, the foreigner, un- less he has letters of recommendation, finds him- self much embarrassed for a lodging, although as a last resource, he may find, as in other places, a fire and shelter at the posada. The best })lan is to go to a public hotel, which has lately been established, where, at the rate of a piiistre a day, he may find tolerable entertainment. Living is not very expensive for such as are 200 TRAVELS IN THE contented with their host's fare*, which usually consists of a piece of boiled beef, with some potatoes, yucca, and bananas ; in the more weal- thy families, lentils, peas, and kidney beans dressed with lard, are also added, and on gala days, a piece of pork. The bread is tolerably good, little however is eaten ; chocolate is taken thrice a day, and is always accompanied with cheese and confectionery. The most common drink is water, and occasionnally chicha. Wine is very rare, and is considered as hurtful as brandy, and with great justice ; both these liquors are very dangerous at Bogota ; the greatest mode- ration must be observed in the use of them. The meals are very frequent. At seven o'clock in the morning they eat meat, and drink cho- colate, at ten they take some soup ; dinner is served up at two, chocolate is again sipped at five, and at ten they sup. Silver goblets are in common use, no one is without them. Napkins are not known, but table cloths are indispensa- ble. Pots of earthenware are generally preferred for drinking water out of, and generally, one serves the whole company. After a repast, they wash their hands, smoke, and then take a siesta. This custom is so general, that, at three o'clock the most profound silence reigns throughout the * See note V. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 201 city, the same as in all towns inhabited by Spa- niards. Some persons have certainly adopted the European manners and customs ; but it was not till after repeated voyages to Jamaica, that they renounced their national habits ; the character of the country is not however to be formed from these cosmopolites. Bog-Ota cannot boast of ten merchants who can command 100,000 piastres, nor of five in- dividuals, living upon a revenue of equal amount. The most common incomes are from 5, to 10,000 piastres. As almost every inhabitant is a shop- keeper, his business generally increases his in- come threefold. The shops are crowded together, dirty, and dark ; the only admission for day-light, is by the door. These however, are the places of resort for the idle. Seated upon his counter, smoking incessantly, and giving laconic answers to his customers, the Colombian merchant in many respects resembles those of Smyrna or Aleppo. The amusements consist of balls, cock, and bull fights, occasionally the theatre, but more often, games of chance, at which bets some- times run as high as 10,000 piastres. The pomp displayed in the religious processions, and the multiplicity of Saints' days, greatly contribute to the amusement of the lower orders. Corpus Christi day is that which is celebra- 202 TRAVELS IN THE ted with the greatest magnificence at Bogota ; it is announced the preceding evening by artificial fire-works. At each corner of the grand square, through which the procession is to pass, are erected four richly ornamented altars, while by a singular mixture of the sacred and profane, mats de cocagne, puppet shows and a great number of cages full of rare and curious animals are ranged on all sides. The rejoicings and games cease the moment the bell is heard announcing the approach of the procession. Every one takes oif his hat and kneels down in the streets. At the head of the procession, are chariots dragged along by men ; in one is king David, with the head of Goliath in his hand ; in another, Esther ; in a third, Mordecai ; Joseph, next makes his appearance upon a horse richly capari- soned, and followed by a great number of guards ; these how^ever, are only mounted on paste-board chargers. All these personages are the children of the principal inhabitants of the city. To ob- tain the honour of acting a part in this imposing spectacle, is a great desideratum, and those who are honoured, by having their children nominated, neglect no kind of expense ; rivalling each other in splendour, they lay pearls, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies under contribution, and put their imagination to the rack, in order to render the dresses of the actors more magnificent. The cler- gy advance slowly amid the crowd of the faith- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 203 ful, With which the square is tlironged. The most beautiful i^irls in the city walk l)etween two rows of priests, some carrying* the ark, and the shew- bread, others incense, or baskets of flowers ; to these succeed young Indians, who, to the sound of a flute and tabor, perform wild fantastic dances. The procession is closed by a detachment of troops, with arms and colours reversed. This fete is certainly the most magnificent that can be witnessed in America ; those of Christmas, in the Avarm countries, are not to be compared with it. The latter, however, are more productive of pleasure, for they occasion both in the streets and liouses, balls and masquerades, which the cool of the evening renders particu- larly pleasing. As in all capitals, morals are more relaxed at Bogota, than in other towns ; but crimes are rare, nor does drunkenness lead to excesses, al- though the number of shops for the sale of bran- dy and chicha is very considerable : their sign is a cabbage leaf. The inhabitants of Bogota, are mild, polite, and cheerful : their gaiety never degenerates into pertness or petulancy. There are few wo- men who are not pretty, and still fewer who are not well formed ; their singular costume, is completely original. Here, as throughout the republic, the only mark of distinction between the two classes of 204 TRAVELS IN THE society, the rich and the poor, consists in the wearing of shoes. All the girls of the lower or- ders go barefooted ; with the majority of them this is a means of pleasing which excites the envy of more than one signora. These very females, either by their personal charms, the caprice of the men, or their own good fortune, are sometimes entitled to pass into the superior class ; but, by a strange prejudice, and an inexplicable reserve, this change is never sud- den. The public opinion is first prepared by a curious costume, cut exactly in the fashion, and made of the same materials as the dresses of nuns ; those who are thus clothed, are called bcates. This habit is also sometimes assumed by coquetry, or luxury ; but a religious motive is then the pretext, or the obtaining the cure of a husband, a father or mother the alledged cause ; a valuable privilege attached to the cut of a gown which sanctifies her who wears it, represses the jealous feeling excited in female breasts at the sight of a pretty woman, and procures health with no other change in the habits and manner of living, than the obligation of not choosing any colour for gowns, than white or maroon, and of adopting a fashion in dress not less strange than that of the clothes daily worn ! ! The enlightened taste which some indivi- duals evince for the sciences and literature, has induced the government to establish a library REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 205 containing at present about 6000 volumes, a bo- tanical garden, and an observatory, but these two latter esta])lislimcnts are absolutely aban- doned ; there are three printing offices, but tliey have not much occupation, two gazettes, and a few law papers, being the whole of their weekly employment. Very few negroes are found in the capital ; the half-bred Indians alone being employed as servants, the mulattoes are less rare ; their co- lour does not in the least prejudice them in the eyes of the white ladies, who, it is said, do not view them with indifference. A foreigner has great difficulty in being well waited upon by his servants, especially when travelling ; for, being with difficulty un- derstood by the country-people, his servants be- come his interpreters, and by the familiarity thus necessarily established, in a short time, his equals. It is not easy to say what are the political opinions of the inliabitants of Bogota. Like all those who live in capital cities, they are oppositionists, because they see the machine of government too near ; but they may be con- sidered rather as spectators indifferent as to its fall or duration, than as enemies danger- ous to its existence. Provided they pay no taxes, and are at liberty to abuse, they con- sider themselves free. After having given the re- 206 TRAVELS IN THE volutionary impulse, this capital will, for the future, receive it from the provinces, and every enemy who makes himself master of the plain, will give the law to Bogota. Some idea has been formed of establishing the capital of the republic at Cucuta ; this is an unjust and ill conceived project ; the only result would be a solitary city, like Washing- ton ; all life and energy would remain at Bo- gota. The name of Bolivar might be immor- talized, but there would never be a great and powerful city, it is as difficult to raise these with a breath, as it is empires. These gigantic ideas, so imposing in theory, have never suc- ceeded but once, and that in an absolute mo- narchy,— in Russia. Bogota is then at present the seat of the go- vernment ; and it is in this city that the best idea may be formed of the revenues and resources of the republic ; an account of these will be given in the next chapter. KKPUBLir, OF COLOMBIA. 207 CHAPTER XII. Finances— Brandy — Post Oflficc — Rovcune — Stamps — Alcavala — Direct Taxation — War — Army — Fortified places — Marine — Foreig-n relations. The fortune of individuals, the basis of that of the government, amounts : Istly, to eight mil- lions of piastres, the annual produce of the soil ; this produce only includes, grain, vegetables, and fruits ; 2ndly, to eight millions of exported goods, such as tobacco, cocoa, indigo, &c. &c.; Srdly, to two millions of metals, given to foreign- ers, in payment of merchandize imported. The total of these sums, being 18,000 pias- tres, gives, supposing this calculation correct, and the population to be two millions, seven hun- dred thousand souls,* a sum of 33/. 33 centimes J-f for each individual, of which the government re- ceives 9 to lO/". iX the remainder goes towards clothing and food.|| The state of slavery of a great part of the people explains how men can exist upon so moderate an income ; on the other hand, their * M. de Humboldt. •j- About 25s sterlino. + Between 6 and 7 shillings. II See note IV. 208 TRAVELS IN THE extreme sobriety, the simplicity of their dress, the solitary life they lead, the abundance of their fields, and the excellence of the climate, which enables them to gather without difficulty all the fruits of the earth, are means of economy, which prevent them from being conscious of their misery. A detail of the different branches of the pub- lic revenue, will clearly shew the situation of this country, which is certainly not a brilliant one.*= The custom-house duties, which, when sim- plified, should be punctually paid, are treated with the greatest contempt by all classes of citi- zens. The contraband trade is carried on with the utmost audacity ; if in the interior it is less active, in the sea-port towns, where it is sure of impunity, it has arrived at the climax of no longer needing concealment. This is the reason why the duties which, fixed under the Spanish government, at 18 per cent for impor- tation, and at 12 per cent for exportation, brought in about eight hundred thousand piastres an- nually, now only produce two-thirds of that sum, whether from the falling off of trade, or the dishonesty of the officers. The tobacco revenue at most only pays the expense of collecting it : a short time since the government was obliged to sell all the stock * See note VII. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. '209 of this article, which they had in the depot at Tiinja, as it was become useless, and might spoil by remaining too long in the warehouses, the activity of the contraband having completely kept them out of the market. The duties upon brandy, formerly an object of monopoly, the manufacture of which has now been declared free, have not produced go- vernment the advantages it expected ; they have, however, introduced among the inhabitants a fatal passion for spirituous liquors, from the too great facility thus afforded of gratifying it. The minister of finance imagines he has dis- covered the cause of the decrease in this branch of the revenue, in the introduction of foreign brandies, the prohibition of them is therefore pro- posed, and will no doubt be decreed by con- gress. Fraud alone has injured the revenue ari- sing from licences : every one enjoys the be- nefit of the law, by manufacturing a less quan- tity than w^as intended. It is so very dif- ficult to extend the excise visits into the woods, and among the mountains, that every one dis- till brandy, and scarcely any body pays the duties. The post office revenue, is likewise only suf- ficient to clear the expenses of the establishment ; commerce being inconsiderable, no very active correspondence is kept up. The system established by the Spaniards, from the extremity of Califor- p 210 TRAVELS IN THE nia as far Bneuos Ayres, is precisely followed in Colombia ; every week, a courier sets off for one of the three grand divisions of the republic. The stamp duty has been rather more pro- ductive, on account of the necessity of employ- ing stamps in all petitions. Claims of all kinds being numerous, and fraud impossible, the go- vernment has drawn considerable sums from this branch of revenue. The alcavala is not very productive. The laws upon direct taxation, being ill drawn up, and being neither preceded nor accompanied by a census, and an exact description of property, cannot be carried into execution, and are evaded every instant. Thus, the new government burthened with a debt of more than forty millions, contracted with the English, and deprived of the greater part of its revenues, is obliged, in order to fill the treasury, to have recourse to forced loans, patriotic gifts, and all those revolutionary mea- sures which, palliating the evil for a time, with- out curing it, do but increase its virulence. However, what with the money drawn from the rich, and the property in kind furnished by the lower classes of the community, the go- vernment has been enabled to conclude a rather dangerous war waged against it by Morales, and to afford the army of the south pecuniary as- sistance sufficient to enable it to enter Peru, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 21 I where it has found pay, clotliing and provisions, which, had it failed to receive in its own country, might have occasioned another convulsion. These circumstances shew that the members of the government are neither wanting in bold- ness nor ability. The war minister, especially, is not the least occupied, nor the least embarrassed; it is true he surmounts obstacles, by permitting the soldiers to furnish themselves with the need- ful at the expence of those it is their duty to de- fend ; besides an army which has nothing like organization, but rather resembles a tribe of Be- douin Arabs than a regular body of troops, is much less expensive than those of Europe. The soldiers they call grenadiers, dragoons, and hussars, have no uniform like ours ; thev sel- dom can boast more than one coat, a shirt and a pair of blue pantaloons ; they have neither boots nor shoes ; a custom which has the advantage of habituating the soldiers to march over the most rugged roads without inconvenience, and which gives them a terrible superiority over Europeans, whose feet easily wounded when no longer de- fended by shoes, prevent them from keeping up with the army. The infantry are armed with guns, the horse- men with lances; and a few, with guns and sabres. The republic can command fifty thousand stand of arms, all in the most wretched state, of English manufacture, and of the worst quality. p 2 212 TRAVELS IN THE The rations are fixed by law at one pound of meat, one pound of bread, and four ounces of rice per man ; it is very seldom, however, com- posed of aught but bananas. The monthly pay of the troops, a third of which is retained by g-overnment, has been fixed as follows : Piastres. General in Chief 500 General of Division 400 General of Brigade 300 Colonel 200 Lieutenant-Colonel 150 Chief-of-Battalion 100 Captain 60 Lieutenant 40 Sub' Lieutenant 30 Surgeon 50 Chaplain 40 1st Serjeant 18 2d Serjeant 15 1st Corporal 12 2d Corporal 11 Drummer 11 Soldier 10 In 1821, there were 22,975 men under arms : subsequently, this number has increased to 32,466 men : 25,750 infantry, 4,296 cavalry, and REPUBLIC UK COLOMBIA. 2l,*3 2,520 artillery ; ainoii*^ the latter are included 400 workmen *. Each department has a commandant-gene • ral, whose staff is composed of a general officer, two adjutants, and two secretaries ; the com- mandants of the provinces and places included in the departments are likewise menibers of it. The infantry is divided into battalions : there are twenty-five of the line, and five of light troops : all are composed of eight companies. Each battalion of the line contains one company of chasseurs, one of grenadiers, and six of fusi- leers. Each company consists of one hundred soldiers and four officers. The cavalry includes twenty-four squadrons ; the six squadrons which form the president's guard compose a brigade. Each squadron has three companies for the ancient, and two for the modern tactics : the first have fifty soldiers and three officers ; the second, eighty soldiers and four officers. Of the four squadrons, eighteen belong to the line, under the appellation of dragoons, lan- cers, and six of light hussars. The artillery, although upon a more regular footing than the other branches of the service, is in a state bordering upon disorganization ; they, however, wear cloth uniforms similar to those of Europe. They are chiefly in garrison in mari- time towns. * Menioria del Minislro dc la Guerra. 214 TRAVELS IN THE As to light artillery, it has not been yet established. What is called the engineer corps, is represented by two or three officers. The president's guard consists of two batta- lions of infantry, and six squadrons of cavalry. This is a corps, in which are incorporated the soldiers who have most distinguished themselves in the army. During the last war, it was increased by two battalions and one squadron. What is called the militia, is but a monthly muster of a few wretched Indians, who are arrested on a Sunday, as they leave mass, to be exercised in an art to which they have the ut- most repugnance. The town militias are more regularly exercised, and may be considered upon the same footing, as the troops of the lino, with this difference, that, being mostly composed of dis- contented citizens, they are the less to be feared. Tlie Spaniards kept the fortifications in such excellent order, that, had they been better de- fended by the Independents, their ramparts would have made them still impregnable ; but every thing was wanting, projectiles, men, and an ac- quaintance with the art of fortification ; so that with the Spaniards to attack and take them, was the same thing. It is in these places only that a park of artillery, magazines tolerably well pro- vided, and barracks are to be found ; everywhere else, the soldier finds a lodging where he can. Near Bogota and Quito, the government has two powder-mills ; these are, however, inadequate REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 215 to its demands ; the English supply the defi- ciency. The naval force of Colombia is composed of nineteen ships of war*, viz. six corvettes, seven brigs, and six galliots. It is clear, that these cannot be of much service in defending a line of coast a thousand leagues in extent : they, however, rendered important services in the war with Mo- rales, by blockading Maraca'ibo. The government is not insensible to its want of a maritime force, and for the purpose of rendering it respectable, has demanded a sum of 4,770,845 piastres, 2 reals ; but where is such a sum to be found ? If numbers of English have entered the armies of Colombia, many Frenchmen like- wise serve on board their fleet ; they have even insured most of its successes, being ably se- conded by the mulatto Padilla, the commander- in-chief. It is in favour of all these foreigners that a law has been introduced, which grants them, at the expiration of two years' residence in the country, the rights of citizenship ; and, at the end of six months only, the same privileges to those who marry there, or who purchase land to the value of six thousand piastres. The power of England in America is without a rival ; no fleets but hers are to be seen ; her merchandizes are bought almost exclusively ; her ♦ Mptiioria del Senor Castillo. 216 TRAVELS IN THE commercial agents, clerks, and brokers, are every where to be met with, and her soldiers have contributed in Colombia, to the success of the cause of independence. This connexion with England is not of recent formation, it may be dated almost from the time of the establishment of the Spanish colonies ; for, in proportion as the mother coun- try added to the number of its prohibitive laws, the audacity of the English smugglers increas- ed *. The Americans, therefore, have constantly preserved their relations with England ; Spain herself has rendered them more active at diffe- rent periods, especially in 1796, by laws which openly authorized them. When the revolntion burst forth, the ravages committed by English admirals and privateers, and the attack upon Carthagena by Vernon, in 1740, were therefore less thought of than the assistance which might be expected from that country. Every kind of succour was afforded, and upon credit ; arms, soldiers, ships, all arrived in America. Dear and expensive favours ! Mo- mentary circumstances imparted a degree of value to them ; it was forgotten, that India had been subjected by receiving similar ones, and that Buenos Ayres, in 1806, had seen the British standard floating upon its ramparts. The antipathies of religion and nationality * See Ulloa. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 217 were surinounted *. Gratitude exercised its sway over the people, and they received the heretics like brothers. As soon as these were in the country, they placed their counters every where, laid them out with the g-reatest art, and dis- persed their goods, fashions, dresses, in every direction, in order that they might introduce themselves into the country without exciting at- tention. Their uniform was adopted in the army, with the exception of the sanguinary colour of their coats, to which that of the French uniform was preferred ; Colombia had English newspapers to direct its political opinions, and British ships to protect its commerce. The Colombians had met with a very gene- rous reception at Jamaica ; they there imbibed the English manners, and witnessing the opu- lence of that island, easily imagined what the English colossus must be. The first sentiment of the patriotic travellers was admiration ; the second, fear. The English perceived it ; they promised the Colombians, alarmed at the last revolution in Spain, to protect them, and to lend them their support and assistance. 13y way of obtaining the * Besides, the English and the Americans of the United States, who every where display so inveterate an animosity against the ceremonies of the Catholic worship, assist at their celebration in Colombia with a punctuality and a devo- tion equal to that of the most zealous Catholics. 218 TRAVELS IN THE guarantee, the latter considered themselves too fortunate in abandoning to their benefactors all the revenues of the state, so that salt-mines, emeralds, pearls, steam-boats, and loans, were mutually interchanged by both parties. These were not the kind of relations which the nation was desirous of establishing with Europe ; all its wishes were with France : first, because it was under no pecuniary engagements with her, and, secondly, because it was much more intimately connected with her by language, lite- rature, manners, customs, and especially, by reli- gion. The name most often pronounced by Spanish Americans is that of Rome. The clergy seems determined not to separate itself from the Romish church ; but, should the papal indecision be still further prolonged, it may create an impatience amongst the priests, who have, for a long time, been expecting the bulls of nomination. {Bulles (V institution.) The United States expected, from their proximity to the Colombian republic, to have held the first rank among the powers friendly to this new state ; they have been strangely deceived ; the Englisii have made them range themselves after the new independent states, so that they find themselves nearly in the same degree of con- sideration as Peru, Chili, and Buenos Ayres. The empires of Mexico and Brazil at one REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 2 I 'J time inspired jealousies tuui fear; but the fall of the first, and the distance of the second, have dissipated every apprehension. The actual situation of Colombia, therefore, as is every where the case after civil wars, is not very brilliant ; but, notwithstanding the dis- asters which have embrued with blood the cradle of this republic, the public worship is still sur- rounded with pomp and magnificence ; its minis- ters, thanks to the piety of the faithful*, are well provided for, and are enabled to alleviate the afflictions of the poor. In fact, there are tew livings, the income of which is below a thousand piastres, while a great number are worth more than twice that sum. Many bishoprics produce from sixty to eighty thousand piastres annually. The clergy then, in general, are rich and powerful ; it is calculated that the tithes of the seven bishoprics produce eight hundred thousand piastres yearly f, and that church property forms four-sixths of that of the republic. Although secretly attached to the Spaniards, the ecclesiastics are never seen at the head of po- pular movements ; aware of their true interests, they live far from the troubles which might com- promise the existence of the body to which they belong. * See Note IX. f Poinbo, 1811. 220 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER XIII. Departure from Bog-ota for Popayan — Guaduas — Chaguani — San Juan — Return to Guaduas — Short stay in that Town — Beltran — Amba- lema — San Luis— Chaparral — Natagaima — Parande — Saniboja — Villa Vieja — Neyva. After having passed three months at Bo- gota, I prepared to quit that town at the com- mencement of the month of August. There were several routes by which I could return to Europe, and all presented an equal degree of interest ; it remained for me to choose one. The first, and the most frequented, that of Caracas, offered a considerable extent of country for observation ; but as many illustrious travel- lers had visited it before me, little could be added to their accounts. The Oronooko, from the importance it will be of at some future pe- riod, lield out greater temptations ; but I had already traversed a country similar to that watered by this stream, in sailing up the Magda- lena ; lastly, I might have preferred the route of Maracaibo, opened by the successes of the pa- triots, to the two others, if, after having visited the eastern Cordillera, I had not thought it inte- resting and useful to examine that of the west, so much richer in minerals. REPUBLIC OP COLOMHFA. 221 Having obtained a passport tor Buenaven- tura, where it was my intention to embark, I left the capital of Colombia on the 9th of August, 1823, at six o'clock in the morning. My baggage was much lighter than that which I had when coming from Carthagena; two mules sufficed to carry it. The guide, who had conducted me in the province of Socorro, ac- companied me in the capacity of muleteer. Two roads to Poi)ayan, my first place of destination, presented themselves, that of Mesa Grande, and that of Guaduas ; I chose the latter. The roads which traverse the plain of Bogota are so excellent at this season, that we arrived at an early hour at Fontibon ; a short time after- wards we passed by Resuela, and were soon at Facatativa. The next day I descended from the immense plateau of Bogota by the narrow and dangerous paths of the mountains which sur- round it on every side, like walls destined to support an immense basin. Fortunately all was dry. Subject to the sea- sons of the plain commanding them, the vallies which are situated to the west, enjoy the fine weather which prevails above, with this differ- ence, however, that here a severe cold is con- tinually felt, while below, they are subject to a burning temperature. Here, it may likewise be remarked, that when the places situated, to the west of the Plateau of Bogota, enjoy summer. 222 TRAVELS IN THE those which are placed at the same altitude towards the coast experience the only winter of this climate in torrents of rain, daily poured from the clouds that have escaped from the plains of Meta. One very interesting peculiari- ty struck me, viz. that the inhabitants of the vallies on the west are much afflicted with goitres and epidemical complaints,* while those on the east entirely escape them. Further, to mark more strongly the difference which exists between the temperatures of the two vallies on the east and the west of the plains of Bogota, it must be added, that the harvests in the former are not gathered in until the month of October, while in the latter the whole is finished before the end of August. The roads were tolerably good ; and al- though my travelling companions were satisfied with them, they could not forbear cursing the Spaniards, w^ho, in order to repair them, had employed very harsh measures, by forcing all those who had been condemned for political opinions to work on the highways, making them only a daily allowance of a pound of bread and a pound of meat. We at length lost sight of those prodigiously high mountains, against which the Plateau of Bogota rests ; and on the 11th of August, at an * In some places, only, the black leprosy appears. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 223 early hour arrived at Billata, a village thirteen leagues distant from Bogota. In descending the immense pyramid of the Cordillera, I every where found the same shells which I had met with in the Socorro ; another sight, similar to that which had given me so much concern, when I was at Moniquira, now attracted my attention ; this was a lad tied down upon a mule, in the same manner, as with us they tie sheep or calves, who, in spite of his cries, was being conducted to Bogota, there to be tried for the crime of desertion. I had often before been asto- nished how a people, softened by a peace which had lasted three centuries, could thus quickly adopt a conduct so different from that to which they had been so long accustomed. May not the cause be discovered in those combats with ani- mals which the Spaniards introduced, and which habituating the people to spectacles of blood, prepared them for still more barbarous actions ? It is true that these dreadful tragedies seldom ended in death, yet notwithstanding, the Ameri- cans found in these exercises such perils and so lively a representation of war as familiarised them with the contest in which they afterwards dared to engage. I must confess that Guaduas appeared to me less pleasing upon descending from Bogo- ta, than when I passed through it on my first journey; the features of the inhabitants, gene- 224 TRAVELS IN THE rally agreeable, now appeared to me to be pale and emaciated ; and I remarked a great num- ber of goitres which had escaped my notice in the midst of those illusions which this village had excited, on quitting the wretched shores of the Magdalena. I also perceived with regret, that the same men whom I formerly considered so cheerful and happy, were little better than noisy and intruding drunkards. In fact the people are incessantly employed in drinking brandy mixt with anniseed, under the pretence that this liquor is absolutely neces- sary in a hot climate ; a maxim, which as far as regards the moderate use, may be well founded, for it is very singular, that the ruling but feeble race of whites can neither exist nor work in the torrid zone, without drinking to excess. As soon as the weather becomes hot, they groan under its oppression, and the inhabitants of Guaduas afford a strong proof of the torments their fellow whites endure. Although the heat is very great in this city, it is however support- able, they are however continually complaining of it ; sometimes it is too hot, at others, they have violent stomach or head-aches. The higher classes of people especially, amongst whom goi- tres are most frequently found, enjoy but a very precarious state of health. I was obliged to remain at Guaduas until the 20th of August, when blindly confiding in RK PUBLIC OF COLOMIUA. 225 the directions with which some of the inhabi- tants furnished nic, I pursued the route they recommended. I started at half past ten in the morning-, and, by noon, gained the summit of the chain of mountains which enclose the valley of Guaduas towards the west. I here contem- plated with admiration the immense plains, amongst which the Magdalena rolls its course. Thick forests cover its banks, and I imagined that a coolness might be found there, which would enable me to support the volumes of heat that I beheld, in the form of vapours, circula- ting^ in these burning regions. Scarcely had I descended a few yards, when I found myself envelopped in a suffocating atmosphere, which became still more overpowering when 1 arrived at the foot of the mountains. I was travelling in the shade, but not a breath of wind agitated the trees; on the contrary, their thickfoliage deprived me of the little air I had respired in places more exposed. 1 had been ])reviously informed that I should meet with no habitation in these deserts, but I had at least hoped to find water, the parched up beds of the torrents, however, no where afforded me a single drop ; it seemed as if, in a few hours, I had passed from the southern provinces of France, to the burning deserts of Africa. We were now so overcome with fatigue, that after consulting with the guide whom I had en- Q 226 TRAVELS IN THE gaged at Guaduas, I turned out of my route, and following a narrow path, arrived at an inhabited place called el Puerto del Corral, not far from the Magdalena. The vicinity of this river has transformed the agriculturists, who have retired there, into fishermen. Their large nets, hung out upon the hedges which protect their sugar-cane fields from the cattle, made me believe that I should at least procure some fish. I asked for some, but was in- formed that the present season being that in which the southern winds prevailed, the fish were not able to ascend the river, in consequence of these gales increasing the rapidity of the current. This period of the year is, for these poor peo- ple, one of the greatest misery ; the burnt up plains are no longer productive, pasture is no where to be found ; even the borders of the ri- vers, whose stony beds now serve as a road, are destitute of all verdure. Every thing lan- guishes in that season which Europeans call the spring, the rigour of which rather recalls to mind our severest winters. During this time of scar- city, no less felt by man than by his flocks, the only nourishment he derives is from some bananas ; while a few sugar canes supply him with the only article of comfort, that can make him forget the heats so destructive to his health. The white inhabitants of these hot countries UK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 227 who, like all other men of that colour living with- in the tropics, arc sickly, whatever may have been the period at which their ancestors took up their residence there, employ this season to some advantage ; it is then that they set fire to the bushes that cover the fields, and which, du- ring the rainy season, are converted into verdant meadows ; in the sa.me manner, they burn the woods, in which they intend, either to sow maize, or plant sugar canes. These conflagrations, which destroy a great portion of the ancient forests, illumined with their brilliancy, the darkness of the night, for it is then that they generally set fire to them. Less industrious than the Africans, the inhabitants of these countries suffer their cattle to perish, rather than take, like the ne- groeSj the trouble of procuring them food from the herbage of the trees, by which they might be supported during the terrible interval between the wet seasons. Venting our execrations on those who had induced us to take this frightful road, which is that used by smugglers, we arrived at nine o'clock at Puerto-Chaguani. It was here, upon the borders of the Magdalena, which I had al- ready coasted, that a suffocating heat indicated the approach of the disorder with which I was about to be attacked. In fact, before I could get to Palmar, the heat of the sun, and an intole- rable thirst occasioned aviolent fever : I was forced Q 2 228 TRAVELS IN THE to alight under the outhouses of a cane mill, where I remained until the evening of the fol- lowing day, very uneasy about the result of so sudden an illness. On the 22nd, I got as far as Palmar, where continual vomitings indicated that it was not there that I could hope for the re- establishment of my health ; I therefore resolved to return to the mountains, and the next day began to climb their sides. In proportion as I ascended, a salutary perspiration increased, a freer respiration succeeded, and by the time I arrived at St. Juan, I felt myself considerably better. This beautiful village, situated upon the top of one of those mountains, which overlook the Magdalena, presents an appearance of com- fort which must indeed be found there, since it is the resting place for the tobacco merchants, who coming from Ambalema, have passed the river in their journey to Santa-Ffe. Unfortunately neither the beauty of the si- tuation, nor the continual passage of travellers, has inspired the members of the family of Rubio, the sole possessors of the village, with sentiments of hospitality. I could find no accommodation in St. Juan, and should have been obliged to have quitted it, if an amiable and charitable young man, the curate of the place, had not offered me an asylum in his own parsonage- house ; during the two days that I remained there my health rapidly improved. I did not REPUBLIC OF COL<3MBIA. 229 however consider myself sufficiently recovered to prosecute my journey direct to Popayan ; it appeared to me requisite to seek some more ef- ficacious remedies than I could procure at St. Juan, and I consequently resolved to return to Guaduas. I bade adieu to this obliging^ curate, who had lately arrived at St. Juan, and who, in the midst of the respect, or to speak more correctly, the adoration of which he was the object, (for no one spoke to him but with bended knee,) had deigned to bestow upon me all the kind attentions of disinterested friendship. By noon, I was at Chiguani, a miserable spot, where tlie wretchedness of the inhabitants afforded me no assistance. I continued my journey to Gua- duas on the 26tli and arrived there before noon. Here I devoted a fortnight to the re-establish- ment of my health, which three days of sickness, caused by too rapid a change from a moderate temperature to the equatorial heats, had terribly shattered. By the 25th of September, I thought myself sufficiently recovered to be again able to proceed to Popayan, whither I was accompanied by a mulatto, who had been recommended to me by the civil magistrate of Guaduas. I traversed the same route which I had previously pursued, and the same evening got as far as Mora, a hamlet upon the banks of the Magdalena. Al- 230 TRAVKLS IN THK though I very much regretted the delay occa- sioned by my illness, I found that the latter part of the season possessed many advantages that I could not enjoy in my former journey. The sky being more cloudy, I was, in some mea- sure, protected from the scorching rays of the sun, while stronger gales from the south made the atmosphere less oppressive. At two o'clock in the afternoon of the fol- lowing day, I reached Beltran, the place of embarkation for crossing the Magdalena on the way to Ambalema. I had been advised to tra- vel along the right bank in ascending the river, but I gave a preference to the left, as aflford- ing me an opportunity of making a greater num- ber of observations, of which in particular the tobacco plantations of Ambalema presented some that were very interesting. The passage of the Magdalena, which is often attended M'ith danger, I safely accom- plished, at the expense of a dollar, in a pi- ruaga, to which my three mules were tied ; and I landed without accident upon the other side. An hour's journey brought me from the place of disembarkation to Ambalema. This village, which encloses within its boundaries some plan- tations of tobacco of an excellent quality, en- joys a moderate degree of prosperity. Every person seems in a bustle, and being better fur- nished with the means of subsistence, the inha- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 231 bitants appear to be less afllicted with disease, than in otlier parts of this country. Ainba- leina is badly built, and its church, rorniiiig an exception very uncommon in Colombia, would, as an edifice, be destitute of all interest if it did not possess a choir of violins and wind instruments, that might vie into competition with the best that are to be found in the rest of the republic. The quantity of tobacco exported from Am- balema, is estimated at 2 or 3,000 loads, and the farming of it would be productive of much be- nefit to the government, were it not deprived of the greatest part of its revenues by the contraband trade, which maintains its ground in despite of the twenty guards, who are here supported at an expense of twenty dollars per month for each man. It is singular that, in all parts of the world, this class of men should be the subject of public animadversion, and even here, their culpable in- dulgence does not protect them from the hatred of the people. Tobacco of the first quality costs govern- ment three dollars per arroba, and of the second quality, ten reals ; it is retailed to private indivi- duals at double this price. The time of making these purchases is in April, May, and June. At a little distance to the east of Ambalema, is a place called Peladero, containing, according to report, many gold mines. On the 18th of September, after having taken 232 TRAVKLS IN THE a fresh guide, which is indispensable in the plains of Magdalena where so many roads intersect each other, I left Ambalema. On the opposite side of the river I could discern nothing but very high mountains covered with forests, while the side on which I was travelling, was en- tirely destitute of the least shelter from the sultry heat of the day. The stony soil reflected the rays of the sun with terrible violence, and occa- sioned us much suffering, from wiiich we could find no alleviation but in the pure and limpid stream that descends from the paramos of the western Cordilleras. We crossed the Benadillo which was nearly dry, although frequently at this season the moun- tain streams of the west suddenly swell, from the melting of the snow, to such an extent, that tra- vellers are compelled to remain several days be- fore they can ford them in safety. On the other side, on the contrary, the rivers being fed only by the rain, their parched beds afford, at the same period, an easy and commodious path. On both sides of the Magdalena, a few isola- ted cottages constructed with reeds, and con- taining a sickly and feeble population composed of different races of beings, are the sole asylums in these desolate regions ; thus, while in Africa the negroes congregate in small communities to defend themselves against the invasions of their neighbours, in these countries the inhabi- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 233 tants pass their days remote from one another ; a few cows constituting their whole fortune, the wine of their palm trees their sole consolation. Sometimes they are found to possess a horse, whose Avhole harness consists of wooden stirrups, rope reins, and a piece of flat wood, by way of a saddle, while the little flesh upon his bones at- tests the frequent fasts he is obliged to endure in these sun-burnt plains. These animals are not however very dear, the best horses not selling for more than twenty dollars a piece. The master suffers as much from hunger as his beast, a little flour of maize being all his nourishment. I alighted about six o'clock at the hut of one of these savages in a place called Puertillo, but I only required a room for my luggage, as the mild temperature of the nights made me prefer sleeping in the open air. My hosts were plunged into the deepest misery, and I could have ima- gined I had before my eyes a family of Moors. The covering of the females perfectly recalled to my mind that of the women of Sahara, they wore a dress of blue African cotton, without sleeves, which they fastened across their shoulders with a cotton lace. The men wore nothing but a pair of drawers, and the upper part of their bodies were so sun-burnt, that the colour of their skin was almost completely black. They passed the whole of the night in drinking palm-wiiie, which, from their igfuorance of the use of the African 234 TRAVELS IN THE hoop, they procure by felling the tree. This me^ thod would ultimately drain the source of their pleasures, if the infinite number of the palm-trees and the smallness of the population did not, at least for a long time to come, remove the appre- hension of so great a misfortune. At an early hour in the morning, we left this hut of christian savages of the Magdalena, and soon after met some inhabitants of Ibagua, who were going on a pilgrimage to Mendes, a village at a little distance from Honda. An image of the holy Virgin heis given it celebrity ; when this was first placed there, the town was very diminutive, but since that time it has encreased every year in a most miraculous manner. Reli- gion, in thus imparting a peculiar sanctity to certain places, has opened a way for commerce, and has established communications amongst men in spite of bad roads, the dangers of the journey, and the policy acted upon by the Spa- niards which tended to isolate the inhabitants as much as possible. The heat appeared to me to be more support- able in proportion as we advanced towards the south, and approached the source of the river ; the vicinity of the snowy summits of Quindiu, was the principal cause of this change in the temperature ; the ground was much less arid, and much less encumbered with stones. The grass was no longer rarely to be found, nor was it REPUBLIC OF COLOMKFA. 235 burnt up witli the lieiit ; the appearance of the verdure reanimated our beasts, andghiddened our sight. We were now in the vast meadows of the Cordilleras ; and, had it not been for the rays of the sun and the sight of the palm-trees, which on all sides majestically waved their heads, I could have believed that I had quitted the burning soil of the tropics, and had again en- tered the European vallies of the Cordilleras. I crossed the Totarus, and afterwards the China, two rivers of great magnitude in the rainy season, but which, at other periods, are very low. Our passage up them was therefore effected without danger, although we were a long time in discovering the ford ; a hut at a little distance afforded us an asylum. I now greatly congratulated myself that I had taken the route of the Magdalena for my journey to Popayan, in preference to that of the Mesa, which is usually preferred; for one expe- riences an infinite satisfaction in the traversing, in all its length, the innnense valley of this river, no less beautiful than the plateau of Bogota. I had the advantage of enjoying a very refreshing gale from the south, which sprung up about two clock every day, and continued blowing till night, sufficiently strong to temper the ardent heat of the sun. The people that I met with on the road enabled me to form an opinion of the in- habitants in the plains of the Oronooko, to whom 1 was assured they bore a great resernl)iaii('e. 236 TRAVELS IN THE I crossed the Chipalo early in the morning, as well as several other rivers, the deep vallies of whose beds intersected my path at every step; a circumstance that had not happened to us before, as the waters of the torrents we had hitherto passed were on a level with the surrounding plains. We left Ibagua on our left ; and, al- though we were at a considerable distance, could clearly distinguish the church steeple, though almost an imperceptible point in the midst of the prodigious summits of Quindiu, which elevated themselves above the town. If my design of proceeding along the course of the Magdalena, as far as Neyva, had not been tho- roughly determined upon, the sight of this impos- ing spectacle would have instantly inspired me with the resolution of crossing the Quindiu, and entering the valley of Cauca. Every thing con- duced to invite me to such an undertaking ; the season was very favourable, the mountains, at this time, well frequented, presented but few dangers, and without having recourse to the shoulders of porters, this terrible passage might have been performed in live days, upon mules trained at Ibagua for that purpose, and hired at the trifling expence of sixteen dollars. I, however, continued my route to Neyva, and had no reason to repent of my determi- nation. Thanks to the influence of the moun- tains covered with snow, which form the Quindiu, the verdure was every where most REPUBLIC OF COtX)MBIA. 237 beautiful. The less shrivelled appearance of the shrubs announced a less arid temperature than that which pervaded the lower regions. We had a still better opportunity of observing the bene- ficial effects of a change in the temperature, on descending into the deep abyss which forms the bed of the Cuello. The chilly, limpid streams of this river, which rises in the snowy tops of Car- tage, run through a tract of country much lower than the surrounding plains, so that when we viewed them from the level of the river, they appeared like a chain of mountains, nor was it pos- sible for us to conceive that they were all of an equal altitude. The coolness experienced in these deep hol- lows is most delicious, and the vegetation is on the grandest scale ; nothing can be more delight- ful than the ravine of the Cuello. It might be said to be composed of different stages, and the lower one descends, the greater the fertility be- comes ; it is for this reason that it is chosen as a spot for the cultivation of tobacco, and the crop which it produces is considered the best of the Magdalena. The breadth of this valley is considerable, and although it is a long journey to reach the opposite banks, the prospect on all sides is so extremely beautiful, that tlie distance is lost in the enjoyment of it. The gentle warmth that is felt between the tropics, the shade of the palm and the bombax, and the fresh verdant turf 238 TRAVELS IN THE which is like a carpet under the feet, impart such sensations of delight, as banish every idea of fatigue. Our joy was complete, on receiving the rights of hospitality in the residence of one of the guardians of these fruitful abodes. So great a value is set upon the spots appropriated to the rearing of cattle, that very strong hedges are every where planted : these are kept in excellent order, and are provided with large gates, which are carefully guarded by men. The inexpressible charm of these places has naturally imparted some amenity to the character of the inhabitants. They possess none of that ferocious aspect which distinguishes their neigh- bours in the plains of Puertillo ; they are oblig- ing, attentive, and hospitable, with an air of robust health created by plenty of good food. I here provided myself with a stock of meat dried in the sun.* Near the puerta San Francisco, where we had passed the night, is the beginning of the plain which is called by the natives L la jw Grande, and which is distinguished from every other we had before passed over by the almost perpetual verdure that every where covers it ; by the very few stones to be found upon it; and by the considerable number of cattle that were seen grazing in every direction. Three roads are found at the puerta San Francisco : one leading to * The butchers cut their meat into strips, and sell it by the yard. RKPUHLIC OP COLOMIMA. 239 Espinal, a village situated near the borders of the Magdalena ; the other to Goaiiion, whieh is a little further distant from it; and the third to San-Luis, built at the foot of the western Cordil- leras. I took the latter. We travelled upon a Sun- day, and met numbers of people upon the road going to visit their respective priests ; those who were on their way to San-Luis soon left me behind them, men and women being all mounted on horseback. The females were wrapped from head to foot in cotton dresses, to protect them from the sun ; for, to repeat what I have before observed, both whites and mulattoes are unable like the negroes, to support the intensity of its rays. After having passed the ni ountains of Gua- duas, I approached the Cordilleras ; it became necessary to descend into the abyss, which the Luisa has worked in its passage, and which pre- sents a frightful sterility, scarcely the least ver- dure appearing even upon the borders of the river ; the opening by which it escapes from the barrier of the Cordilleras, appears to have been the eifect of an earthquake. We were completely bewildered amid the intricacies of a real labyrinth, and were many times obliged to cross the dangerous bed of the river, and travel along its sandy banks. It was four o'clock before we quitted this gulf, which we had entered at three. Having at length sur- 240 TRAVELS IN THE mounted these difficulties, I had the pleasure of seeing San-Luis, where I soon arrived. A spec- tacle of desolation arrested my attention : a few days before, half the village had been destroyed by fire, and notwithstanding the generosity of N. Caicedo, one of the richest proprietors of this country, many of the inhabitants still remained in the streets. Thanks to the care of this worthy man, I did not experience the same inconvenience ; for I obtained a very comfortable lodging in the par- sonage-house. Here I remained two days, being obliged to exchange one of my mules that had got injured, and procure myself another guide, both which arrangements were concluded to my satisfaction. The site of the village of San-Luis is very beautiful : well sheltered by the mountains from the north-easterly winds, its temperature is con- tinually refreshed by gentle gales ; and although its seclusion from the more frequented parts might seem to prevent its becoming of any com- mercial importance, the sale of sugar manufac- tured from the plantations of sugar-cane which abound in its neighbourhood, causes it to be much frequented by dealers in that article. The neighbouring mountains abound in mines of silver. Almost every body is either afflicted with goitres, or covered with the black leprosy, which RKPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 241 afflicts the white population in the same manner as the white leprosy attacks the blacks : both the one and the other render the inhabitants most hideous figures. Upon arriving- at San-Luis on the 2'2d of September, I found the rains had already com- menced in these plains. I therefore started the next day to endeavour to reach the sources of the river before the wet miglit impede my fur- ther progress. Before night-fall, I halted at a solitary init ; but I was well prepared against any deficiency of provisions, as it had been my practice for a long time to carry with me a store for several days, especially of bread, since in all these regions no species of corn is cultivated : it is imported from the eastern Cor- dilleras. I found my guide, w'ith whom I was well satisfied, to be an interesting, intelligent fellow, and far from possessing the usual taciturnity of the Indians ; he talked much, and kept up a very animated conversation. Born in Socorro, he had all the vivacity of his countrymen ; had been a great traveller ; had made considerable observa- tions : and, what was more surprising-, recol- lected all he had seen. I learnt from him, that in the chain of the Quindiu, at the foot of which we were travelling, there still existed many tribes of independent Indians, but that there was no danger to i)e apprehended in meeting with them, R 242 TRAVELS IN THE as had been sufficiently proved by numbers of persons who were proscribed during,' the late warfare, and had sought refuge in the woods that cover these mountains. We perceived Chaparral in the south-west, at the extremity of a very extensive plain, sepa- rated by a chain of mountains from that in which we were ; its distance is one day's jour- ney from San -Luis ; it is celebrated for the storms that continually burst over it, and the rich minerals that are discovered at every step ; the hollow in which Chaparral is situated, into which, in the rainy season, the north-east winds drive with all their fury, is without doubt the cause of those meteors that so frequently glide along its atmosphere, continually charged with vapours. At an early hour, we reached the borders of the Saldana river, which rises in the Cha- parral, and from the sands of whose banks some gold is obtained ; but the thirsty traveller re- gards as a treasure, far more precious the palm- trees that overshadow its waters, less pure, in- deed, than those of the Cuello ; but at the same time less chilly, and consequently less dan- gerous. A piruaga carried us across for the moderate charge of two reals. We now entered the territories of the Indians of Coaima *, whose villages are situated upon the * It is not without reason that the Indians regret the ancient order of things, since they then enjoyed the privileges REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 243 brow of the western mountains. Upon quit- ting- the borders of the fSaldana, we couki dis- cover nothing- before us but plains of an im- mense extent, covered witli withered herbage ; the soil is nevertheless of a very good quality, but it is never refreshed by the cool breezes that blow from off the snowy mountains of the Quindiu. The assertion, that the Indians possess none of those virtues which atone for many of the vices of the mulattoes, is not incorrect ; the truth of this I experienced in one of tiiose huts which we encountered in our route, and in which I determined to pass the night, as in these soli- tudes no better habitation was to be seen. 1 could not attribute the cold reception I expe- rienced, to the generally received opinion of every stranger being a heretic, but rather to the egotism of my host, and to the blind hatred of the Indians to every individual who does not belong to their cast. Like all the Indians inhabiting the plains, the family of my host wore no other clothing of landed proprietors : the republic has deprived them of these, by making- them only usufructuaries of that property, of which it is virtually the sole possessor, since it alone has the right of selling it. The republic has, however, given to the Indian vil- lages, alcaids of their own cast, subject to a white alcaid ; but the latter exercises no other species of authority over them than that of transmitting to them the orders of government. r2 244 TRAVRLS IN THE than a strip of cloth round their loins in the manner of the Africans, the rest of the bodv being- quite naked. A flock of sheep, which they watched with an attention common through all the Cordilleras, formed the whole of their fortune. The wool, which is but of a very in- different quality, is collected with great care, and sold in the neighbouring- villages at the price of twelve reals the arroba. This is a great change from what was formerly the practice, for they used actually to pay persons for shearing the sheep, and did not set the least value upon the wool. Arts and civilization gradually ad- vance ; but how slow is the education of these people ! All foreigners are still Triptolemi, Bac- chusses, and Vulcans, and cannot but be be- nefactors in a country where the people are ignorant of every thing. Compared with the state of perfection to which we have arrived, the inhabitants of South America bear the same re- lation to us, as they bore to the Spaniards at the time of the discovery of this continent ; they knew nothing- then, and actually all they know now is by hearsay, or by a few books, which some educated persons have commenced reading ; no- thing as yet has been carried into execution. The following day, about noon, I passed through Natagaima, another Indian villag-e, for- merly built in another place, and afterwards re- moved here from motives of salubrity and greater lUJ'UBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 245 public utility. According to tlie popular tradi- tion, the patron saint of the ancient place lias twice set fire to the new church ; so that, when I visited it, Natag-ainia was without a place of worship. I know not why they call this misera- ble handet an Indian village, for it contains but very few Indians, nearly all the inhabitants being mulattoes, and as it is only about six leagues from la Purification, many of the inhabitants of this part of the Magdalena liave settled at Natagaima. On the opposite side in the eastern Cordilleras we had a prospect of the villages of Paramo and Alpujada. From the place where I crossed the An- chiqua, the distance between the two Cordille' ras is lessened, and the plains begin to be co- vered with bushy trees. Two days after we per- ceived a mountain which projected forward into the plains like a promontory into the ocean ; and by six in the evening we arrived at the spot : its name is Pakandc, and I was informed it con- tained copper-mines. From the numerous vol- canic stones which are every where scattered about, as well as from the gaps in the earth, of wliich there are numerous traces, and from the peak with which the Pakanda is surmounted, there cannot be the least doubt of its having been, at some period, the mouth of a volcano. Having fallen in with some huts at a little distance, we demanded hospitality : it was offered 246 TRAVELS IN THE US by a little child, and during the time that we were making the best use of it, he made his escape to announce our arrival, and to give an alarm to his friends, who were occupied in the fields. Thus, until six o'clock in the evening, we were sole occupiers of the dwelling ; at this time the proprietor returned, and appeared tran- quillized as to our intentions, satisfied that, with- out standing upon any ceremony, we had made ourselves at home. At the bottom of his heart, this Indian, perhaps, cursed our intrusion; for to speak the truth, the continual passage of undis- ciplined troops, has every where greatly increased the distress of the inhabitants ; if they suppose that the traveller is a military man, they betake themselves to flight as soon as they gain sight of him, as they would at the approach of an im- placable enemy, and the timid beings leave him master of all they possess: this is not worth much, scarcely ever exceeding a little maize, and a few green bananas. My foreign appearance has often made me pass some miserable moments, for after the fa- tigues of a toilsome day, when I have approached a place to which I had fondly looked forward to obtaining some comfortable refreshment, I have found myself unable to obtain either fire or water, and have been obliged to content myself with some bananas, and the bread and dried meat which I always carried with me : — if on the KKPUBLJC OF COLOMBIA. 247 contrary the master of the house has had the cou- rage to remain, and if to the question with which he invarial)ly at first addressed me : " Colonel, are your soldiers with you r" I replied, " I have none," his countenance Jjas sparkled with joy, and, his fears being dissipated, he has treated me with an obliging attention that dread could never have commanded. On the 26th we quitted the territory of the Indians of Natagaima, through every part of which reigns a frightful solitude. At eleven o'clock, I passed that part in which the western Cordillera has the least width, so that upon gain- ing the summit, the route is continually upon a descent towards the west, we there saw the vil- lage of Lateko, near which are the gold mines of Apore, said to be very rich. Further on we en_ tered upon a more woody country, covered with palm-trees, the trunks of which are stronger than those were of Africa, the oil extracted from them is of great importance as an article of commerce ; it is used instead of butter. At inter- vals, posts are set up to mark the distances, and here and there tambos,* for the accommodation of travellers, as it is but very rarely that any habi- tions are to be met with ; they may indeed occa- sionally be seen, but then they are perched upon the steepest acclivities, and so dispersed, that they doubtless have but very little communication ♦ A Peruvian word, sif;;nifying' caravansary. 248 TRAVELS IN THE with each other. The distance at which these peo- ple live from any parish chinch, obliges them to inter their dead in the fields. These tombs are usually erected by the side of the most frequented routes, and thus amidst the wilds of the Cordil- lera we may recognize a custom that was com- mon to the Greeks and Romans. These sepul- chres, the sole evidence of the residence of hu- man beings, do not, in such a situation, excite melancholy reflections, as they show that, at a short distance, resides the family of the person who here reposes in his last abode, and a certain pleasure is experienced at the certainty of not being in an uninhabited desert. I however for- bore seeking in the woods for the concealed dwel- lings, and hastened to arrive again upon the bor- ders of the Magdalena which I crossed at a place that is called Samborja. The river, at this spot, is not very wide, and its green tinged waters show that it is fed from the sources of the Para- mos. We soon crossed to the other side, where we obtained a little refreshment from some fisher- men. We partook of it in company with some bogas, who were conducting balsas or rafts laden with cocoa. Eacli raft contained twenty loads, the expense being six dollars for the whole voyage. This means of carriage is the one mostly used in these cantons, on account of the rocky banks every where met with, besides the luggage boats REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 249 seldom come hi<^her up the river than Am- baleiiui. The heat of the place as well as the noisy company with which I was surrounded, deter- mined me to sleep in the open air, at the risk of being blooded by the mosquitoes. This was not the only inconvenience which reminded me of the uncomfortable resting- places lower down the river, for in this one, the crying- of children, with the dread of serpents, scorpions, and millepedes, very common in these parts, did not leave me a single moment of repose. Happy should I have been if my hostess, to relieve the wearisomeness of a long night, had continued chaunting her Indian ditties whilst she was swinging in her hammock, and accompanying herself with her guitar. By midnight every one except myself was in a state of repose, but the hideous noises made by a troop of pigs and dogs, that seemed to try which could most frighten each other, prevented me from closing my eyes. At day break, I ordered the guides to saddle the mules, and joyfully quitted the unfortunately encountered hut of Samborja. Before ten I ar- rived at Villa-Vieja, a village about six Spa- nish leagues distance, where I established my- self for the remainder of the dav, under a shed thatched with reeds, that an inhabitant gave me permission to occupy. The road as far asA'illa- Vieja had been excessively fatiguing for seve- 250 TRAVELS IN THE ral days past ; there were none of those south-west- erly breezes that so charmingly temper the plains of Ambalema and San-Loiiis. We had travelled all the day under a burning heat, caused by the nature of the ground which is composed of sharp stones, and rocks bearing so close a re- semblance to ruined fortresses, that it is diffi- cult not to imagine them the produce of men's labour ; these works of nature vie with those as- tonishing pyramids that Ulloa mentions having seen in his travels in Peru. Villa-Vieja is situated at a little distance from the Magdalena, the heat of its climate is suffocating, on account of the approximation of the two Cordilleras, the eastern range of which is here so little elevated, that it forms no impe- diment to the winds of the plains of Guaviare, which sweep along the bed of the river. It is asserted that these winds never reach across the Magdalena, but I had no opportunity of veri- fying the fact ; it is not so however with the nor- therly winds, for their influence is general. The church of Villa-Vieja, which they were building when I was at the place, deserves some notice Its architect is a negro ; his plan upon the model of some churches at Bogota is regu- lar, and shews much study and good taste. This edifice will cost the parish 14,000 dollars, but this enormous sum will be paid by all the wealthy inhabitants, each being required to REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 251 leave at his death, funds siifTicient to construct a square yard of tlie building-.* Opposite to Vilhi-Vieja, is Aipa, a village inhabited by Indians, wlio are reputed by the lower orders to be well skilled in astrology. The lieat, which I had experienced during the preceding day, made me regret that I had not followed the advice of my guides, to travel as much as possible by night. For once I gave them credit for being right, and leaving Villa- Vieja at two o'clock in the morning, we got to Fortalissa by ten ; here I found some mer- chants who were travelling to Bogota with the intention of making a purchase of salt, and car- rying it to Popayan. Resuming my journey, I discovered in the midst of the arid plains in which I had been tra- velling since the morning, a wood intersected with numerous paths, forming a screen that de- prived us of a view of Neyva, but aftbrding us a shelter from the overpowering heat which we had experienced in the plains of Vilhi-Vieja. Some brooks spread around a delicious coolness in these groves, and their waters flowed on all sides through a multitude of trenches which the inhabitants of Neyva had opened, to water the roots of their cocoa trees. The cool tempe- rature enjoyed in this place is very agreeable, * The bricks used in this buikliii-i-, arc vi-ry larofi' ; tin y cost 15 piastres a thousand. 252 TRAVELS IN THE and the air was scented with the perfume of flowers which grew along the borders of the rivulets. I forgot all my sufferings in this de- lightful garden, although, had it been the rainy season, I should, on the contrary, have been mi- serable at finding myself in the midst of im- passable marshes, formed by the overflowing of the rivers, and arresting the progress of every traveller. At two o'clock we entered Neyva, where hospitality was immediately afforded ns, for which we were indebted to one of the wealthy inhabitants. I requested a continuance of his courtesy for two days, but he would not limit it. Tliis time was however sufficient for me to procure a mule, one of my own having been injured at Fortalissa. They had neglected shoeing it, an omission which causes the loss of great numbers of these beasts of burden. I had also to procure a. new guide, the one whom I had engaged at San-Louis being about to leave me and return home. Neyva which is seventeen days' journey from Bogota, is the chief town of the province of that name. It is situated on the borders of the Mag- dalena, was formerly built on the mountains, where the Andaquis, a race of savage Indians living in the neighbourhood, massacred all the inhabitants ; the terror which they spread occa- sioned the site of the new town to be placed UKPL'BLIC OF COLOMIJIA. 253 near the river, so that, upon the least alarm, the people might embark and escape their fury. The climate of Neyva is excessively hot, but the waters of the Magdaleiia are very cold, being supplied from the neighbouring paramos. Their colour is greenish, and although tlieir taste is not disagreeable, the springs, which traverse the town, are preferred for drinking. The caymans never show themselves near Neyva. Opposite this place, is the hamlet of Saint Andras, in the environs of which gold is collected. The ground near the village of St. Antonio, si- tuated in the cold regions of the eastern Cor- dilleras, produces a great quantity of fine ve- getables. No difficulty would therefore be ex- perienced in obtaining crops of corn, but the inhabitants, reluctant to depart from long es- tablished customs, prefer bringing flour from Bogota, at the rate of sixteen dollars per load, to procuring it at their own doors with very lit- tle trouble. Cocoa forms the principal riches of Neyva. It is estimated that this province alone furnishes annually two thousand loads, a large portion of which comes from the town of Timana, al- though its population does not exceed two thou- sand souls. A load of cocoa cost thirty piastres. The expense of transporting it to Honda, is es- timated at twentv reals. It is one of those articles, which with coffee and sugar, is not subject to tithes. 254 TRAVELS IN THE As Neyva produces no sugar, it is obtained either from Mesa, or from la Plata, at the rate of one real per pound ; salt likewise is procured from the same place at the same price. The inhabitants of Neyva have, by the way ofTimana, some intercourse with the Andaquis, who live about eig-ht days' journey from this place, near the source of the Magdalena. They furnish these Indians with knives, looking-glasses, glass beads, &c., and receive in exchange wax of a brilliant whiteness, and varnish which they use in covering several sorts of wooden bowls. The preparation of this varnish is very simple ; the workman puts it in his mouth, masticates it, spreads it into leaves with the palms of his bands, and thus applies it on the colours. Neyva is by no means opulent, for the war, as well as the fre- quent ravages of the ants, has nearly ruined it. The streets are not paved, there are not six hou- ses covered with tiles. The greater part of the population is composed of men of colour, and the diseases to which they are most subject are the elephantiasis and leprosy. The principal town in the province after Neyva is Timana, situated near the sources of the Magdalena ; this town is the last of the re- public in the basin of this river ; beyond it only a few hamlets, some solitary huts and savages are to be met with. The journey to the sources of the Magdalena cannot be performed on horseback. REPUBLIC OF COI^MBIA. 255 for the roads, upon some of the highest inoiiu- tains are so narrow, as only to be traversed by foot passengers. Rafts are the only mode of navigation in all these parts, the trunk of a tree forms the keel, and some reeds the deck and hold. On these fra- gile rafts guided only by a single oar, a wliole family will sometimes fearlessly commit itself to the rapid current of the river, being certain that their flexible materials will bend, but nut break, if dashed against the rocks. In this man- ner a poor labourer prepares for his journey to Honda. He hastily constructs his raft, places in it a few sacks of cocoa, seats his wife upon them, and, with his dog at his side, takes his oar, and through the midst of the breakers, steers his hopes and his beloved, whose cotton mantle sometimes suspended to the mast, forms a sail which increases the swiftness of his bark. 256 TRAVELS IN THK CHAPTER XIV. Tambo del Ovo — Passo Domingarios — Rope Bridge — La Plata — Pedregai San Francisco — Insa — Mountain of Guanacas — Totoro — Panikita — Popayau — Volcano of Purace. I QUITTED Neyva on the 30tli of vSeptember at seven o'clock in the morning ; in the evening, I perceived by the road-side, a cottage of rather inviting appearance ; what was my surprise upon arriving at it, to find it stripped and deserted, its owners, pillaged by the soldiers, had fled into the mountains. There being no other habitation in the neighbourhood, my guides overcame their fear of ghosts, and we put up for the night in this solitary hut. As a substitute for a kettle to cook our supper in, we placed some stones in the fire, these when red hot, we threw into a ca- labash containing some chocolate ; this formed our repast. The next day, the 1st of October, I passed through Ovo, and Sevilla, villages situated on our left, and breakfasted at the tambo of Ovo. The tambos are thatched sheds, erected upon the highways by the nearest municipalities as caravansaries of merchants and soldiers, but in general very little accommodation is to be found REPUBLIC OF COLOMIilA. '2.-, 7 in them. In the neighbourhood of the tanil)o del Ovo, several cottages have been l)uilt ; hi these women dress provisions, which, although coarse, are very welcome ; it is astonishing that this example has not been imitated in the neigh- bourhood of other tambos, by inducing persons to settle there, who would thus be of great uti- lity to travellers. It is true that the majority of these carry their provisions witli them, that is to say, a few yards of dried meat,* and chocolate ; they are almost always provided with moist sugar, which, in this country, is generally eaten pre- viously to drinking water ; the consumption is therefore considerable. After quitting the tambo del Ovo, several ravines are traversed, the inhabitants of which wash the sand to procure from it the particles of gold with which it is mixed ; the Llanos or plains are then quitted for the mountains, where, the roads leading from Neyva to Timana and to Gigante, and on the other side to the INIag- dalena unite, only to separate : we chose the latter one. Before night, I arrived on the banks of this river which I crossed at the Passo Domin- garios ; this did not take up much time, as the JNIagdalena is not above thirty toises in width. Having disembarked on the strand, which is whol- ly composed of pebbles and rocks, we proceeded * Dried meat is always cut into strips, and sold by tlie yard. S 258 TRAVELS IN THE to a hut known by my g-uide ; it Avas at a con- siderable distance from the road, the intention of the owner being, as he afterwards informed me, to escape the billeting and the pillage of the soldiery. This man received us with kindness, and lodged us in his own room : it was a stinking pi- geon house : the birds wliich were perched over our heads, hindered us from sleeping by their cooing"S, and our host took the opportunity of telling us how much he regretted the destruc- tion of a chapel erected near his hut, which had been entrusted to his care by the curate of Neyva ; this charge had lately been confided to him upon condition of his placing- there a mira- culous Virgin; in fulfilment of this bargain, the poor fellow had undertaken a laborious journey to Santa-F^, had there purchased of a very pious woman an imag-e gifted with miraculous powers, and congratulating himself at having obtained it at the moderate price of twelve piastres, had returned in all haste to his chapel and his hut. The curate, satisfied with his scrupulous exactitude, lost no time in attributing to the sacred image the most efficacious virtues, placed it with no small pomp and solemnity in the most striking part of the chapel, and established a fete in honour of this patroness, to which the parishioners were annually invited. The journey from Neyva to j)asso Domiiigarios, is so agreeable REPUBLIC OP COLOMBIA. 259 amid a ricli and fertile country, that it was fre- quented by crowds ; our host, as a reward for his devotions, found plenty of hungry pilgrims re- pair to his hut, and had the precaution to furnish it well with all sorts of provisions ; these it was not difficult to obtain, for the offerings brought by the pious, such as eggs, fowls, &c., served them afterwards as a meal. This prosperity was however transitory : the war broke out, the sol- diers of the republic contented themselves with eating the offerings, and respected the image of the chapel ; but the Spaniards broke it in pieces : " Therefore," added our host, with all the satisfac- tion of vengeance, " these wretches of Godos* are now beaten on all sides, God punishes them in every battle for their infamous sacrilege." The next day I continued ascending, for the country began to be very elevated, and the roads became in consequence very bad. Population was so scarce, that we were obliged to take our repose in the middle of the fields : sometimes lialting under a tree by the side of a rivulet. Between the tropics, it is a treat to breakfast in the shade, and to procure fresh and limpid water. If the dispersion of the inhabitants caused by the fear inspired by the passage of troops, is favourable to the clearing of new lands and the * Goths ; the name given by the Colombians to the Spa- niards. s 2 2(i() TRAVELS IN THE increase of the population which is always on the decline in towns ; on the other hand, as the markets are not held in consequence of the des- truction of the villages, no one sows more than is sufficient for the maintenance of his family; this is very little : the church even offers but a small attraction, as the ecclesiaistics no longer mount the pulpit except to preach contribution and tax- ation ; men consequently accustom themselves to live isolated, and visit each other but seldom; and when intercourse is interrupted amongst a peo- ple, commerce, agriculture, and industry become extinct; ignorance spreads itself in all direc- tions, and excesses of every kind are the conse- quence. The western Cordillera in which we then were, did not appear to me more practicable than that of the east, for I found the roads there equally as difficult and dangerous. The pass which we surmounted about nine o'clock in the morning, is named the Volador del Nema, and is not unat- tended with danger. The word volador signifies a mountain on the side of which a path has been formed, but so narrow, that in many places two mules cannot pass each other ; when such a cir- cumstance happens, one of them is obliged to return backwards, until he comes to a place wide enough to allow the other to get by him. Precipices of a fi'ghtful depth border these slip- pery roads. RIvPUHLIC OK COLOMBIA. 2() I These tlifliculties happily overcome, we fouiul ourselves in a plain of considerable extent, si- tuated on the summit of a lofty mountain ; it is very fertile, and enjoys a delightful temperature, its breadth is inconsiderable, so that to the right and left of the bottom of the mountain, we could perceive deep vallies covered with rich meadows. 'I'liat which we had on our right is watered by the Pa'ij a river that falls into the Magdalena, at the Passo-Domingarios. — To the north-west is Car- niseria a small hamlet, thinly peopled ; and at a distance isNataya inhabited by a tribe of Indians, who speak a language peculiar to themselves. The heat we experienced was here tempered by breezes from the west south-west, which con- tinued to blow till we arrived at Paical. — We found the village deserted, it having been depo- ])ulated the year before by an epidemia ; violent pains in tlie head and loins, followed by the fre- quent spitting of black blood, were the first symp- toms of the disease, which generally proved fatal on tl»e eleventh day. Punch was the only remedy employed, and in many cases it was not unsuc- cessful. The Indians were all free from this dis- order, which justifies the saying of the mulattoes, that, " The Indians are never ill." The following day, leaving the banks of the Pai, I proceeded along those of the Rio de la Plata which falls into it ; and before two o'clock in the afternoon, arrived in siglit of the town of 262 TRAVELS IN THE that name. We could not immediately enter it on account of the bridg-e of communication not being' sufficiently commodious for the number of persons going to and from la Plata. On each side of the river, leather bands are made fast to stakes driven in the ground, and upon this tara- bita (for thus they call this singular sort of a bridge) is placed a piece of wood furnished with leather straps, by which the traveller is fastened, and according to whichever side he wishes to go, he is drawn across. The passage at first seems rather alarming, and one cannot, without shuddering, find one's self suspended over an abyss by a few hide ropes, which are very liable to be injured by the rain, and consequently to break ; accidents however seldom happen; animals are made to swim across. When I gained the Plata shore, one of the in- habitants came to offer me hospitality, though I mistiTisted this forwardness, so uncommon among the Spaniards, I accepted his invitation with plea- sure, on the hint given me by another inhabitant that my host had just killed an ox; a circum- stance, which in these villages causes the day upon which it happens, to be considered as one of great importance. In order to arrive at his house, I passed through a part of the town, exceeding all I had ever seen in wretchedness ; the greater part of the inhabitants whom I met, and who were all men of colour, being disfigured by enor- Ri:iUiBLJC OF COLOMHIA 2().'i inous g-oitres; tliey were besides disgustingly dirty, and tlieir ragged coverings afforded no concealenient to the leprous sores that afflicted them. I was perfectly satisfied with my host, he procured me guides and mules, bought for me whatever provisions I might want in crossing the solitarv deserts of Guanacas, and shewed me many attentions. At la Plata 1 became acquainted with a Prussian general who was returning from Popayan, witii the intention of embarking for Europe. — This rencontre in the midst of the de- serts of New Grenada, was somewhat singular ; at tlie foot of the Tarabita,'in view of those pro- digiously high summits where the de la Plata derives its source, and where formerly another town of that name stood, two inhabitants of the old world, as they are called by the Americans, experienced some delight in recalling it to their recollection. I was preparing to take my leave of the alcaid to whom I was under some obligations, when I was informed that his colleague, who was also his debtor, had caused him to be arrested for his political opinions, and had thrown him into a narrow dungeon. This unfortunate event afflicted me very much, yet I was so confident of the jus- tice of the cause of the worthy alcaid, that I de- parted, not doubting the favourable termination of the affair. When I had got half way between 264 TRAVELS IN THB la Plata and the place where I intended to spend the night, I passed near an iron mine* ; the inhabi- tants of the neighbourhood derive no advantage from it. I henceforth did not quit the banks of the Pai. This river gives its name to a jurisdiction of eighteen Indian villages situated to the west south-west of la Plata. Each village is governed by a chief of their own election, and all are un- der the controul of a white magistrate who lives at Ouila. These Indians are christians and sub- jects of the state. They have a particular system of municipality which is common to all those countries that were formerly called, "Tierras de Indias". We were surprised by a storm near a cottage situated in a place called Cuevas, and were hospi- tably received. When our host, who was absent, returned, his daughter knelt before him to receive his blessing, and when at night she lighted a candle, repeated a long prayer, a custom very general among the country people. The next day we experienced considerable difficulty in climbing up a very high mountain, which the rains, that had fallen for some days, had rendered extremely slippery. It was very late before I arrived at Pedregal, an Indian village ; all the inhabitants with the exception of the * It is a singular circumstance that for ages the Africans have worked the iron mines in their country, whilst on the other hand, the Indians have made no use of theirs. REP II BMC OF COLOMBIA. ^(J) curate had fled. I have ah-eady observed that, since the breaking out of the war, hospitaHty had become a scourge from which the people saved themselves by taking up their abode in inacces- sible places ; thus a few years of contention liave destroyed the work of three centuries. The In- dians grown familiar to the yoke, threw it off, and returning to the woods, resumed their former barbarous manners. We followed the course of a river called the Ulliicos, and when on the top of the moun- tains forming its western bank, had a view of Santa-Rosa, which, from the whiteness of its buildings placed amidst frightful precipices, is distinguishable from a great distance, and pro- duces a beautiful effect in the perspective. On the banks of the UUucos some manufactories are established for the preparation of the salt produced from the mine of Segovia, which is close by, but the quantity is not sufficient for the consumption of the country. After having traversed San Franciso, I ar- rived at Insa where I spent the night. Inhabi- tants were no where to be met with ; a circum- stance rendered tlie more disagreeable by one's being tormented by thousands of insects of every kind ; an annoyance which is not experienced in the eastern Cordilleras, where the cold is notwith- standing as severe as in the western. At Santa-Fe they had given me a terrific 266 TRAVELS IN THE description of the Guanacas, it was not in the least exag-ge rated. When travelling through the Socorro I had imagined that the roads were the worst I should ever have to encounter; but I had as yet seen nothing. It is true that, here, they did not present the frightful aspect of the rocks of Guacha, but the difficulties experienced were not the less terrible. To render these mountains accessible^ square pieces of wood have been placed at equal distances, where the feet of the mules slip at every step they take, then, the humidity which, for ages has continued to soften this muddy ground, has formed a complete marsh in which horses sink at the risk of never rising- more. Every thing- concurs to increase the danger, for there are numerous springs from which the water bursts forth with violence, overthrowing the rude labours of the Indians, and rolling down in tor- rents, which threaten the traveller with destruc- tion. Even at the period when they are driest, one is soaked through, the mists in which these mountains are enveloped being dissolved into drizzling rain which almost freezes the unfortu- nate traveller. We arrived quite benumbed with cold at the tambo de la Ceja, where we rested no longer than was necessary to refresh our mules, as we should not find another habitation witliin two days' journey. One of my mules overcome with fatigue stopped suddenly in the middle of this dreadful road ; and as no time was to be lost, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 2()7 I was obliged, greatly against iny inclination, to leave the poor animal in this situation, where he was destined to become the victim of l)easts of prey, musqiiitoes, or cold. The rain still continued to fall, and night approached ; we were obliged to quicken our pace, notwithstanding- the fatigues of the day, and had just enoug-h twilig"ht to proceed to the tambo de los Corales, where two Indian salt merchants had already established themselves, and were cooking- their supper at a fire, which, from the wood being constantly wet, they had had considerable trouble in lighting. These tam- bos are so badly constructed, as to afford but little shelter from the inclemency of the weather. The government is at no expence in improving these miserable asylums, the only ones which the traveller meets with in the midst of the stormy nights of these elevated regions. The water flows in on all sides, and the wood, always wet, ignites with difficulty ; thus, after having spent the night soaked through, every limb be- numbed with cold, and bathed in blood by the bites of the mosquitoes, one rises the next day in order to cross tlie terrible Guanacas, without having- taken any nourishment than that of a few bananas, and often without having eaten any thing. We experienced all these miseries ; the rain did not cease to inundate us, and we pro- cured no other warmth than that which our 268 TRAVELS IN THE mules afforded us, by disputing with us our wretched habitation. As soon as daylight appeared, our eyes were fixed upon the summit of the Guanacas, and my experienced guides assured me that we should have a fine day, and a pleasant journey. The mules were immediately saddled, and we departed with the assurance that the paramo would be free from storms. The first part of our journey we travel- led, as on the preceding evening, through thick forests of low trees loaded with water, which de- luged us every time our mules touched their branches. The road was, perhaps, better than before ; for, as it was formed upon rocks, the water ran over it without producing any of those dangerous marshes we had met with in other places. In proportion as we ascended, we ob- served the vegetation to be more sickly, and soon perceived that we were near the paramo from the number of bleached human bones which lay scat- tered all around. Perhaps, alas ! they were those of the proscribed, who had concealed themselves in these frightful retreats during the late wars ; one might have supposed it to have been a field of battle ; — here, were shoes, there, female cloth- ing ; further on the head of an infant indi- cated its having died after having lost its mother. Our company became serious and silent as we advanced into these desolate regions : we were all gay in the morning, but now not a word was llEPUIiLIC OF COLOMBIA. 269 spoken, and wc only looked at each other to see whether fatigue did not excite in some of us a fatal propensity to sleep, that we might prevent its being indulged. We soon after saw nothing but a few crooked and stunted trees covered with moss, and nearly falling from age: these were succeeded by frailecons, whose yellow flowers are so brilliant amid the surrounding desolation. We were now opposite a lake of small extent. The danger is very great, if tiie passage be at- tempted when the tempest agitates it, and an icy wind blows, which is fatal to those who yield to fatigue or the want of repose. Near this fearful spot we recognized the garments of a clergyman, and of two black ser- vants, who had fallen dead beside him ; and, at a short distance, saw many mules, whicli, aban- doned by their masters, were living upon fraile- cons, waiting till a tempest should terminate their misfortunes by death. We now found the ground less stony and much drier, being now upon the western side of the Guanacas. The sky was cloudy, but without a threatening aspect, and we now and then saw the sun as in our winters ; his rayless disk scarcely warmed us, whilst, at tlie distance of a day's journey, glow- ing with light, he poured torrents of fire on the inhabitants of the banks of the Cauca. The journey was very long, and it was eight in the evening before we arrived at Totoro, where 270 TRAVELS IN THE the inhabitants speak a peculiar dialect. Upon the walls of the house where we passed the night, some one had written two verses in French, ex- pressive of much ang-uish, and in perfect keep- ing with the aspect of the country from which we had just descended. Notwithstanding my fatigue of the preceding evening, I had no incli- nation to remain at Totoro, for the inhabitants, who are all Indians, are reputed to be thieves. I therefore set out at day-break, and, upon arriving on the heights which command Totoro, per- ceived the superb valley of Popayan. As we de- scended towards these fertile plains, the heat in- creased, and the temperature became more agree- able ; we were soon at Panikita. This village is inhabited by Indians who speak a language dif- ferent from that of the inhabitants of Totoro. In spite of the filth and nastiness prevailing in the interior of their houses, they have displayed some taste and care in the disposition of their streets, which are bordered with hedges, while the water flows on both sides in covered canals ; the church of Panikita is extremely neat. Having already obtained a view of Popayan, I was very desirous of arriving there ; and, al- though the road was variegated by beautiful country seats and well-cultivated fields, it ap- peared to me long and fatiguing ; besides the plain of Popayan, which, from the summit of the mountains had appeared to me quite a level REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. '271 sui'lace, was interspersed with elevations, these, traversing- the road, rendered travelling very dis- agreeable. It is a rugg-ed country, like the val- ley of Socorro, so level when viewed from the heig-hts of the Cordilleras, but so uneven in rea- lity. A light bridge of reeds served us to pass the Palaca, which runs at a tremendous depth between two ridges of rocks that looked as if they had formerly been but one. This place was not destitute of interest to my guides ; it recal- led to their recollection the battle which Narino fought here against the Spaniards, and in which he was conqueror, notwithstanding his unfavour- able position and the small number of his un- disciplined troops. On each side of the road were elegant houses, the opulence of which might be sur- mised from the comfortable appearance of their negro majordomos, who were mounted on fine horses well harnessed. Passing near me, and perceiving that I was a foreigner, they took much pride in making them prance. At four o'clock, I entered the village bearing the name of the Cauca, near which it is built ; crossing a brick bridge built by the Spaniards, which is tolerably hand- some but very narrow, I proceeded along a pleasant road in the direction of Popayan, and arrived in that town at five o'clock ; accord- ing to the custom of the country, I was lodged in a shop. 272 TRAVELS IN THE It is said that the position of Popayan seems to have been created by the imagination of poets ; and, in fact, it is difficult to find one more beautiful : it was selected by Benalcazar, who is less known than either Pizarro, Cortez, or Quesada, but deserves to be more celebrated, as he was the founder of many towns, all delight- fully situated. The valley of Popayan has not the gigantic magnificence of that of Santa-F^, but the air is so pure ; the country fertilized by its vicinity to the snowy mountains of Puraca is so rich, and its temperature is so mild, that one would be almost tempted to give it a preference over the plateau of the other Cordilleras, if the number of disgust- ing insects, particularly fleas, did not render tlie place almost uninhabitable. It is not so easy to draw a comparison be- tween the two towns of Popayan and Bogota, as each of them possesses advantages highly valua- ble, but entirely different. Santa-F^, though not so well built, will perhaps please strangers more, merely from its being the capital. The houses of Popayan are, however, more handsomely con- structed, and there are some that would not dis- figure the finest parts of our own cities; the street of Belen is particularly remarkable, the houses are all one story high, built in a straight line, and bordered with well-paved trottoirs ; the windows are closed with balconies, and there are REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 273 none of those grating-s which produce so gloomy an effect. Some taste is displayed in the architecture of their churches ; they have a fault, however, in common with all the edifices of Popayan, that of the height being- too great for the width of the building" : a defect very unpleasant to the eyes of Europeans, who are accustomed to more exact proportions. The warehouses make not a very gay appear- ance, for as there are no markets held here, all provisions are sold in the shops, which, in compa- rison with the number of the inhabitants, are more numerous than at Santa-F^. There are numerous squares, these, how- ever, offer nothing worthy of remark ; the greater part of the houses surrounding them are falling into ruin. Many other proofs may be adduced of the decay of Popayan, in which there once re- sided many inhabitants, worth a million of dol- lars. The excessive sobriety of the inhabitants, their dress, and their deportment, show that the war has entirely ruined this town, formerly en- riched by the commerce of Santa-F'^ and Quito, of which it was the entrepot, and by the mines of gold in the Choco, and on the banks of Cauca, which belonged to the inhabitants. There are still four families in Popayan, who enjoy a for- tune of 400,000 dollars, but this is only the wreck of their immense riches, which they con- T 274 TRAVELS IN THB tinue to sacrifice every day to the republican cause they have embraced. There is but one convent for men in Po- payan, and that belongs to the Franciscans ; the other monasteries, to the great regret of the inhabitants, have been converted into barracks, and their revenues devoted to the foundation of a college. These new arrangements have greatly displeased the inhabitants, who are very partial to the monks ; it is even apprehended, that they may occasion an insurrection, as was the case at Maracaibo. The commerce of Popayan consists of some woollen cloths *, which, on account of the war, are obliged to be conveyed by the way of Bar- bacoas, or by San-Buenaventura, in order to forward them to Quito and Guayaquil ; they also trade in European baizes, the salt of Santa-F^, the gi*ain of Pasto, Timana cocoa, and Cali sugar. If any credit could be given to what the people of Santa- Fe say of those of Popayan, the latter would be regarded as rather unsociable. It must be acknowledged, that they are haughty in their manners, as well as very affected in their con- versation ; but, in general, they are more dignified than the people of Santa-Fe. In other respects, they are more obliging and polite, but extreme- ly avaricious ; they are also much reproached for * Particularly red, yellow, and green baizes, which are sold at 22 reals per vara. RRPIIHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 275 their negligence, a very natural fault in a peo- ple possessing slaves. Both men and women have a fine physiog- nomy ; tiiey have preserved the solemn deport- ment of the Spaniards, together with their fea- tures ; many families seem to be of Jewish ori- gin. The number of negroes and mulattoes is double that of the whites, and the quarrelsome disposition of these slaves, almost enfranchised by the disorders of the war, causes much uneasi- ness to the whites, especially when they reflect that, between Pasto and Carthagena, there are none but blacks to be met with in the western Cordilleras. The recent insurrection of the negroes of Barbacoas and Patia has caused much alarm at Popayan. Would the white population of this town be sufficiently strong to arrest the torrent, should it rush in upon them ? The whites place much reliance upon the help of the Indians, the mortal enemies of the negroes ; but their assist- ance would be of very little use against such strong and brave men, skilful in the manage- ment of horses and arms. The Indians of Popayan differ very little from those of Santa-F^, except that they are darker and not quite so tall ; their costume is the same in all respects, except the head-dress, called montera ; this consists of a hat similar to those of the Chinese mandarins, and is made of T 2 276 TRAVFLS IN THE pieces of cloth of different colours. The whites follow the fashions of Santa-F^, but, like all the people of the provinces, dress without either art or taste. The gold mines are abandoned, and scarcely support those who still work them ; the convents of Carmen and Incarnation, which possess some that are very rich*, see the produce daily dimi> nish, through the desertion or death of the slaves who work them. If the secular and regular clergy are not rich, the bishop at least is extremely so, his in- come being reckoned at 40,000 dollars per annum. I formed the project, during my stay in this town, of visiting the mountain of Purace, whose snowy summit overlooks and fertilizes the valley of Popayan. In consequence of this resolution, I set out on the 14th of October, and proceeded eastward ; although the road was dry, and tole- rably level, it was late before I arrived on the banks of the Vinagra, a river which flows from the volcano of Purace, and whose waters are almost as sour as vinegar. We then ascended the mountain as high as the village of Purace, where we were to pass the night ; and as we en- tered it, saw a small party of Indians carrying ice to Popayan. The situation of Purace is very agreeable, * See Note X. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 277 this village being above the valley of Popayan. The inhabitants are frequently incommoded by a black dust brought by the north north-west wind, which is very cold; but notwithstanding this rigorous climate, there is a very high palm-tree in the middle of the village, The streets and the cottages of Purace are arranged very neatly, each house being built in the midst of a good-sized inclosure ; facing the street is the yard, and behind the house is the gar- den, kept with great care, in which maize, wheat, potatoes, and apples, are cultivated. The princi- pal streets are watered by limpid rivulets, while, taking advantage of the slope of the ground, every inhabitant has constructed a little fountain to supply himself with water always pure. The Indians of Purace are of a very mild disposition ; their language, like that of Totoro, is full of consonants, and consequently very harsh ; they are fond of agriculture, to which they ardently devote themselves ; the tithes they pay their curate amount to 700 dollars a year, a sum which enables some idea to be formed of their wealth. I passed the night at the house of one of the inhabitants, who paid me much attention, and early the next morning again set out to ascend the mountain. In passing the paramos that lie at the foot of the snowy regions, I found them less dangerous than the Guanaeas, a circumstance 278 TRAVELS IN THE that is owing to their situation with respect to the wind, those which I crossed being to wind- ward. After having quitted the places where the cryptogamous plants, in their diminutive di- mensions, have the appearance of large veget- ables, and live crowded one upon another as if for the sake of mutual warmth, I arrived with my guides at the utmost limits of vegetation. Stones and gravel form this region where the sun, des- titute of power, permits the accumulation of the ice; the moment we entered it, a tempest burst from the summit, and poured down upon us like a torrent. The wind, loaded with particles of hail and snow, quite benumbed us; we began to breathe with difficulty ; and the obscurity was so great, that we were obliged to call out from time to time to prevent our losing each other. The tempest blew in gusts, and when it ceased, we distinctly heard the murmurs of the volcano, which we had before mistaken for the moanings of the birds of night. We now pro- ceeded with much difficulty through the thick coating of cinders that covered the mountain, and over the crevices filled with snow ; but at length arrived at the volcano, from which there arose a thick smoke spreading a foetid smell in every direction. There have doubtless been frequent eruptions, if we may judge from the volcanic productions spread around on all REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 279 sides. The aperture of tlie volcano is frequently closed, for tlie sulphur which it throws up adheres to the sides, and so chokes up the en- trance, that the vapours escape with great dif- ficulty, and earthquakes threatening Popayan uitli destruction, are tiie immediate conse- quence. To avoid this danger, Indians are sent from time to time to clear the crater, but independently of this motive, these men pass their time conti- nually upon the mountain in gathering sulphur and collecting ice which they sell in the city at the rate of two dollars per load. It is said, that, upon the western side of the mountain, there is a much larger crater, and that but few Indians are acquainted with the frightful paths lead- ing to it. The Rio Vinagra, which I crossed the night before, flows from the ()i)enings of this mountain, and altliongh its acid waters are very dangerous to drink, they are highly valued for their utility in dying. I was unable to remain upon the moun- tain so long as I desired, for my guides were alarmed, and threatened to leave me if I stopped there any longer, as the storm still raged with the utmost fury. Indeed, I must confess that I descended with pleasure, for I breathed with so much difficulty, that I could ascend no higher without great pain. It did not refjuire much 280 TRAVELS IN THE time to retrace our steps to the village of Pu- race ; so that^ after crossing many fertile fields, where the corn of Europe is but badly cultivated, we reached Popayan at eight o'clock in the even- ing. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 281 CHAPTER XV. Departure from Popayan — Mine of Allegrias — Quilichao — The Cauca— Sa- mondi—Cali— Departure from Cali— Las Juntas. Every thing indicated that the winter season was on the eve of setting in : I was very apprehensive that it might overtake me in the inundated plains of the Cauca, and resolving not to prolong my stay at Popayan, hired a guide to conduct me to Cali. I should have preferred going to Quito, which is peculiarly interesting to a Frenchman, because it reminds him of the measurement of the first three degrees of the meridian, made by several of his learned countrymen.* But I was obliged to renounce this pleasure, as the revolt of Pasto and of Patia rendered it impossible to take that road, without running the risk of falling into the hands of the insurgents, the mer- ciless enemies of all those who do not embrace their cause. I therefore took the road to Cali : as in the valley of the Magdalena, I saw to the right and left, wliile I traversed that of the Cauca, the Cor- dilleras rising majestically, as if to cool and de- fend the country watered by that river. * Sue aole XI. 282 TRAVELS IN THE The valley of the Cauca is composed of two plateaus, very distinct by their elevation and their temperature : it is much richer than that of the Magdalena. The soil is deep, the pasturages rich and fertile, as is proved by the large size of the cattle, which, on the contrary, are very lean in the valley of the Magdalena, excepting at the foot of the Quindiu. The forests too are greener and less scorched by the heat of the sun, which dries up every thing during the summer in the valley of the Magdalena, while along the banks of this river, nothing is seen but wretched huts, and men covered with rags, and half savage ; the banks of the Cauca, afford every where indica- tions of opulence. The farm houses are spacious and well built, and nearly resemble the wealthy habitations of our colonies. The negroes, who cultivate the land, are all well clothed and ap- pear to have a sufficiency of wholesome food. If we still see some huts covered with thatch, and some women in tattered garments, we everywhere find utensils of silver, and those very women who are so ill clothed are, on holidays, adorned with gold necklaces. A general decorum of manners prevails ; even the muleteers, proud of being whites, are ashamed to go on foot, so that it is difficult to distinguish the poor from the rich. This prosperity and opulence arc to be ascribed to a fertile soil, better cultivated in UKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 283 many places than on the Magdalena, and to abun- dant gold mines, though they are unskilfully worked. The earth tinged with red and yellow every where indicates the presence of gold : you constantly tread it under foot, and as a Spanish engineer said, the kennels of the streets, in the towns, bring it down after a storm. We passed the night at los Corrales. The proprietors of this cottage, are very hospitable and very religious. At night on going to rest, and before they rise in the morning, every body re- peats the rosario, a very long prayer, which, in many places, is recited with great fervor. Accordingly we were awakened before day- break, by the singing of the pious men, as had oc- curred to me amongst the Mahometans in Africa. Continuing our progress to the north, we crossed the Quebrada de Tuina. An Indian village of that name, is situated in the neighbouring mountains. We afterwards passed the Pescador, and the Oveja, two pretty deep rivers, over which there are bridges ; we then passed the mountain of Madomon, behind which, to the west, is a gold mine very famous in the country. When I reached the mine of AUegrias, I luid reason for astonishment, on hearing my guide enumerate all those towards which he pointed in different directions of the compass : to the east, Kina, Maion, Dominguillo, Campo, San-Viccute ; to the west, Cerro Gordo, Santa-Maria, San- 284 TRAVELS IN THE Miguel, Poitiigaleto, Honduras, and an infinite number of others, the names of which, 1 have for- gotten. The mine of AUegrias gave me an exact idea of the others, and of the works of the mi- ners. Some huts inhabited by negroes are scat- tered in the midst of groves ofbananiers, which is their favorite tree. The ground is on all sides open and dug up to a small depth, it is intersected by small canals,, so that the water flows on all sides, not as in the delicious valley of Neyva, to fertilize the fields but to carry away the earth which is afterwards washed in wooden bowls, as is practised in Africa. Nothing can be more arid than the soil near these mines, the red colour of the earth, which indicates its mineral wealth, is no sign of fertility. The water being ill con- ducted in the canals, spreads on all sides with- out improving the soil. The view enjoyed from the summit of these auriferous hills of the plain of the Cauca, is ad- mirable; a palm tree grows at this point, and seems to be the limit of the burning soil of the Cauca ; though it is not so curious as the palm tree of Purace, it is perhaps more striking, for one would say, that it was placed by nature as a landmark, to indicate the change of the temper- ature of Europe to that of Africa. At the foot of the plateau of Popayan, is the village of Qiiilichao, in a very advantageous po- sition, being at the limits of the hot, temperate REPUIJLIC OF COLOMBIA. 2H5 and cold districts, wliich renders it the entrepot for the productions of all climates: it likewise possesses many gold mines, and is a very flour- ishing place. I went to pass the nigiit farther on, at a veuta where there were many traders on their way to Popayan with mules laden with sngar. The following day, we entered the marshy plains which are periodically inundated by the waters of the Cauca and other rivers over- grown with rushes and reeds. Leaving Caloto, famous for its gold mines to the right, we soon after passed before the road to Cartago ; then crossing a considerable extent of land belong- ing to the inhabitants of Popayan, I found the operations of agriculture every where left to the slaves. The pride inspired by colour is no less great in the valley of Cauca, than in the colonies of the Antilles ; it is such that poor peo- ple do not cultivate any lands but in the moun- tains, where it is too cold to have negroes. At some distance, on the right of the road, flows the Rio Palo, celebrated in the country for the battle fought there by Samanon, which he lost ; his army chiefly consisting of Peruvians, was totally rou- ted by that of the independents. In the direction of Caloto, my guide pointed out to me the road to Pitaion, a hamlet justly celebrated for the Peruvian bark gatliered in the neighbourhood, which is said to be of a much 286 TRAVELS IN THE superior quality to the bark of Loxa. It is sold at two piastres per arroba. Pitaion is two days journey from the Balsa ; this habitation furnishes much less sugar than formerly, because most of the beasts of burden which it employed were destroyed in the late wars. It now produces only 8 or 9,000 pounds of sugar annually. The vessels made use of, are of copper. At noon we crossed the river Taula, which frequently overflows its banks to a considerable distance, where, having passed through a forest full of climbing plants or bamboos, we found our- selves again on the banks of the Cauca. This river flows in a smooth current, and is not very wide at this place ; we passed it in a cauoe, and proceeded on the road to Call. At three o'olock, we were at Jamondi situated in the middle of a wood of goyava trees ; we afterwards crossed the Jamondi, and it was already night when we reached Cali. The town was illumina- ted and resounded with musical instruments, on account of the installation of the college, the foundation of which had been ordered by the government. I had much difficulty in obtaining a lodging ; the alcaid presided at the fete, and it was not till very late, that he could procure me a shop, where I passed a very indifferent night. The following day we had a great deal of rain, but this did not hinder me from visiting the town. Its situation on the declivity of the west- REPUBLIC OF COLOMIUA. 287 ern Cordilleras, seemed to me very agreeable. It is reported that, in former times, these moun- tains were sometimes covered with snow ; but at present none is to be seen. Cali is not only well situated, both for the enjoyment of life and for the climate, which is not excessively hot, but also for trade, it being the medium of communi- cation between Popayan and the Ocean. This intercourse is pretty frequent and important at present, on account of the tobacco of Llano- Grande, a village between Caloto and Buga which is sent to Peru and Panama where it is high- ly esteemed.* The streets of Cali are straight, and the houses built of brick or of earth white- washed, a style of building, which gives an appearance of cleanliness not common in the eastern Cordilleras. They have began to build two churches, the architecture of which is remarkable for good proportions, and an improved taste ; it really ex- cites surprise to meet with temples built with so much care, amidst the solitudes of New Gre- nada. There are several convents, now deserted ; all have been suppressed except that of the Fran- ciscans, which contains sixteen monks. Though the heat is rather intense at Cali, and the cocoa trees which grow there in * On the spot it costs two piastres per arroba, at Panama, it is sold at six reals per pound. 288 TRAVELS IN THE abundance indicate a tropical temperature, the climate is healthy, and we see none of the de- formities which afflict the valley of the Magda- lena. I met with only one person that had a goi- tre, this was a Frenchwoman from Bayonne, who had been settled for many years at Cali, and had entirely forgotten the customs and the language of her native country. Yet the Spanish people are so little used to see strangers, that she is known in the town by the name of La Franceza ; she is the widow of an officer in the Spanish civil service. The number of people of colour is considera- ble at Cali ; they are peaceable, because they hold a rank almost equal to those who call them- selves whites ; they are not allowed however to go armed. The inhabitants of Cali are rich. The situation of the town doubtless constitutes to the prosperity they enjoy, yet they envy that of Carthago, which affords more real advantages. In fact, the latter placed almost at the extre- mity of the plains of the Cauca, at the point where the two Cordilleras approach, and leave only a narrow passage for the waters of tlie river, is the entrepot for the goods for Santa-F^, which arrive by the Quindiu, and those for the Antilles or the Ocean which come by way of Novita, situated near the Rio San Juan. But the situa- tion of Carthago is far from offering the en- hi: pun Lie ok Colombia. 281) «^li;inliii^^ prospect of Cali. Can wc find there, waters so pure, so beautiful a river, more noble trees, more verdant fields, and a more striking- prospect than tiiat which the plains of Cauca afford at Cali ? The necessary arrangements for eng-aging a new guide, and hiring fresh mules, had de- tained me six days at Cali. This delay was caused by the slowness of the inhabitants of the coun- try ; every thing is done by negroes and mulat- toes who are naturally indolent in business. 1 left Cali with great joy, though I anticipated the hardships and fatigues that awaited me in passing the Cordilleras ; I was impatient to reach the port wliere I was to embark. Our first day's journey was short. Tlie roads were so narrow and so slippery, that it was diffi- cult to proceed ; night approached as we de- scended into the valley, where a pretty habitation has been built; it is called la Portera ; the source of the Dagua is at a small distance from it. The next day 1 proceeded towards the west north-west; 1 travelled in company with some negroes who had been taken prisoners in the Patia; thev had been concerned in an insurrection which had menaced Popayan with a dreadful con- vulsion, and were being conducted to San-Buena- ventura. They were bound in a singular maimer, their u 290 TRAVELS IN THE hands were fastened on the stomach, with cords which passed through a hollow piece of wood placed below the chin ; these same cords were then strongly fastened round the neck, so that, by the slightest attempt to escape, the man strangled himself. This kind of manacles is said to have been taken from the Indians. Not- withstanding the terrible constraint which these negroes must have felt in walking, they kept pace with us who were on horseback. We halted together at a place called Papaia- guero ; leaving this hamlet, we continued to tra- verse the narrow valley watered by the Dagua, which we had to cross seven times before we reached a farm which bears the same name. So far we had met with few hills that were difficult to pass; the ground was rather uneven than mountainous, and notwithstanding the small number of inhabitants that we met with, the road had appeared to me less fatiguing than any of those I had before traversed in other moun- tains. Quitting the farm of Dagua the ascent was very laborious till we reached some houses called las Ojas ; this was nothing, after having given our mules some rest, we penetrated into very thick woods, and continued climbing the Cordilleras till two o'clock in the afternoon, when we arrived at las Juntas. The road of las Juntas, is one of the most abo- RKPUKLIC OF COLOMBIA. 21)1 uiiiKiblc ill the republic of Colombia, the ground sinking in under the feet of the mules, (for the communications are frequent between the great Ocean and the valley of the Cauca) has left on the right and left considerable elevations so well shaded by the foliage of the trees, that they can- not be discerned, it is like penetrating into a cavern ; there is only room enough for one mule, and this is so narrow, that I was obliged every moment to cross my legs in my saddle for fear of breaking them against the stones. Before we descended into these defiles, my guide cried out in a loud voice several times, and when he was quite certain that nobody was coming from the op- posite side, we entered the pass, it was then our fatigues and our dangers commenced; for the whole place was full of water, and there were, on all sides, what the Spaniards call cajones, holes in which our mules sunk up to the breast. As they had not room for more than half their body, they were often obliged to stride over these cavities filled with mud and branches of trees, which they did with much agility ; thus we arrived without ac- cident at las Juntas. This village is situated on an isthmus, water- ed on one side by the Dagua, and on the other by the Pepita, which unite at this place. Las Jun- tas is inhabited by merchants of Cali ; the ac- tivity of these men in the western Cordillera, may u2 292 TRAVELS IN THE be compared to that of the inhabitants of So- corro in the eastern. The inhabitants of las Jun- tas are much distressed by want of provisions ; they are of course not numerous ; the pecuniary temptations held out by the salt and gold trade induce them to remain in this dreadful place, which they cannot quit without entering path- less forests. KKPUBLIC OF COLOMHIA. 2{)3 CHAPTER XVI. Dangerous iiavij^atioii of the Uagua — San-Buenaveiifura— Dcsciiptioii of the province of Clioco — Departure from San-Bucuaventura on board a Peruvian schooner — Arrival at Panama — Observations on the great Ocean. The day after my arrival at las Juntas, I prepared to embark on the Dagua, though its waters had been considerably swelled by a storm, which raged during the night : but I wished to arrive speedily at Sati-Buenaventura, and was, besides, unacquainted with the dangers the people spoke of; I thought they wished to alarm me, in order to dissuade me from my purpose, and detain me the longer among them. I was furnished with two negroes reputed to be excellent sailors, and a long narrow canoe. In order to preserve the equilibrium, my bag- gage was divided into two parts, an equal weight being placed at each end ; three feet in the centre were appropriated to receive my body bent almost in two ; my two negroes, one pro- vided with an oar, the other with a pole, were stationed at each end of the canoe ; when all was ready and duly adjusted, the rope wliicli moored us to the beach was loosened, and imme- 294 TRAVELS IN THF. diately, we were hurried on by the stream with the rapidity of an arrow, and carried before a wall, over which the waters passed with a fright- ful noise. Which way shall we pass ? was the thought that struck me at the sight of so terri- ble an obstacle : quicker than thought, the bark, skilfully guided between a very narrow opening, glided into calmer water : having escaped one danger we encountered another,having to descend from the high mountains of las Juntas, into the plains, which are washed by the Ocean ; and when I thought the Dagua had reached its level, I perceived its agitated waters flowing several feet below the place where I was. The negro with the pole, like a skilful pilot dexterously avoided the current of the river where it was too rapid, entered boldly among the windings of the rocks, and without fearing to dash the canoe to pieces, conducted it throug!i those narrow issues : sometimes, however, a stone baffled his address, and stopped us on the edge of a fall ; the water, foaming against this new obstacle, threatened to swamp us ; this was the critical moment : the two men then leaped into the water, and thus lightening the canoe, held it with all their strength to hinder it from being ingulphed by the water among pre- cipices where it would have perished. Dangers of so novel a nature of course alarm the traveller. Imprisoned in the middle of the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 295 canoe, and motionless for fear of upsetting it, he mechanically siglis with pleasure after having passed over a slioal, or descended a i-cipid ; this sometimes liappened to myself. The negroes, mistaking the expression of joy, for a sigh of complaint, asked with the most laughable sang- froid, " Are you wet, sir ?" In truth I was wet through. The rain fell in torrents, and the sai- lor, while intent upon avoiding the rocks, which every where obstruct the passage, was constantly striking his feet against each other to throw out the water which filled the canoe. We were one hour in reaching the place called the Salto, where there is so great a fall, that the canoes are conveyed over land, and are changed at the Bodega (or public warehouse), where the government has placed an agent to superintend the police of the river. My negroes, after landing my effects, amidst torrents of rain, were going to leave me, pretending they had not agreed to accompany me any further. I was cruelly embarrassed ; for if I had been left in these forests, I should have perished with hun- ger or disease, w hile waiting for another boat : the white w ho had the care of the Bodega, took pity on my situation, and, joining with me, per- suaded the sailors to accomj)any me farther. I employed other means to induce them. I had given them four piastres, though they could only demantl two for the fust passage, and promised 296 TRAVELS IN THE them three more for the second ; this was paying double what other travellers give. They gUidly accepted my offer, and immediately launched another canoe. Without authority, or rather fearing to em- ploy that with which they are invested, the agents of the Colombian government are rarely of any ser- vice in protecting the traveller, especially a fo- reigner : it is only by means of exhortations or money that he can make himself obeyed ; for, being the only guides amidst the dangers of the navigation or the roads, the sailors and muleteers are respected by all the officers of government, who, being generally engaged in trade, are afraid of suffering for their rigour if they executed the laws. When the roads become better, and the navigation more perfectly known, these men will be less extortionate, and will be made to obey. My negroes having resolved to accompany me, I embarked in another canoe, and launched again into dangers no less terrible than those which we had just escaped. Encouraged, how- ever, by the repeated proofs of the dexterity of the negroes, the traveller begins to familiarize himself with so frightful a navigation ; he is at length able to distinguish the rocks which are really dangerous, from those which are alarm- ing only from the noise produced by the waves of the river breaking over them ; but I doubt whe- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 297 tlier he can, at any time, feel himself so secnre as to be able to sleep, as many persons have assnred me they could do ; tor one is involuntary agitated or uneasy ; and, were it only from the effect of the rapidity with which the canoe proceeds, the passenger has his eyes constantly open. In a short time we arrived at the Saltico. Near this dangerous place we found some huts ; it cost me many hours to persuade my inconstant sailors to take me any farther ; they hesitated a long time, and at last yielded to my offer of five piastres, if they would take me to San-Bue- naventura ; and, after having again changed our canoe, we set off. I went on foot, as I liad done at the Salto, as far as the other side of the fall. There I met my negroes and my canoe. An idea may be formed of this navigation, when I say that, on the beach where I walked, I observed long furrows traced by the canoes, which are kept as close the shore as possible. After passing the Saltico, the Dagua, less violent, does not rush forward in an impetuous torrent ; it is now only an extremely rapid river, yet still very dangerous, because it is far from having attained its level : the fall being only one foot instead of three which it had been higher up. The negro who held the pole, no longer di- rected his comrade with the alarming silence he before preserved, which, however, was neces- 298 TRAVELS IN THE sary not to lose any time ; it was not mere- ly by signs that he guided the steersman, his voice was louder than the roaring of the waters ; we were soon able to converse on the dangers we had incurred, and the pleasure of quickly reach- ing the port ; before we got there, we stopped at a hamlet, at Santa-Cruz, where I passed the night. On the following day, a pure sky, which is very uncommon in the rainy climate of this country, promised us a fine day, and the river being broader, contributed to render this last part of our voyage very agreeable. If the trunks of the trees under water, still exposed us to some risks, the bed of the Dagua, which was broad and deep, enabled us to avoid them : at length, after having again glided along with rapidity for some time, our canoe could not proceed witliout the aid of the oar. We had now, therefore, need of vigorous exertion to descend this river, the current of which hurried us along the day before, in spite of all our efforts. As it approaches its mouth it has attained its level. Its deep and muddy waters have now only low and marshy banks, which they constantly inundate, and on which grow trees of a large size. It is there that the mangrove and other large trees, which are fond of brackish water, spread afar their nu- merous roots. The Dagua, which, higher up, when it was confined in a narrow channel be- rrpuiilk; of Colombia. 291) tween the steep walls of tlie Coi-dilleras, flowed precipitating- itself from fall to fall, has an almost imperceptible current ; it is as calm as the sea which receives it. Their waters unite unobserved, for there is no bar to impede them, and a navi- gator does not perceive that he has entered the sea except by the taste of the waters. Contrary to all observation, the crocodile does not shew itself in the river, and delig-hts only in the ocean, upon whose sandy banks this terrible animal is sometimes met with. We at length arrived without danger, but not without difficulty at San-Buenaventura. Considering the importance and beauty of its situation, San-Buenaventura ought to be a considerable town ; an active commerce should animate its port ; a rich and industrious popula- tion fill its streets; lastly, it should be frequented by numerous vessels. Nothing of all this is to be seen. A dozen huts inhabited by negroes and mu- lattoes, a barrack with eleven soldiers, a battery of three pieces of cannon, the residence of the governor, built like the custom-house, of straw and bamboo, on a small island called Kascakral, covered with grass, brambles, mud, serpents and toads ; such is San-Buenaventura ! Yet the commerce carried on is not with- out importance, though chiefly of very common articles, for instance salt,* onions and garlick. * The salt of Paita, costs one piastre per quintul. 300 TRAVELS IN THE These in general are the only cargoes brought by the schooners from Paita. To these must be added straw hats and hammocks from Xipixapa, singular importations into a province so rich in gold. The exportations consist of rum, sugar and tobacco.^ This unwholesome place suffers a con- tinual scarcity of provisions, it is difficult to procure green bananas, or bread made of maize and cheese. Fowls cost a piastre a piece, and can hardly be obtained even at that price ; fish is scarce, and said to be injurious to the health. San-Buenaventura therefore is, at present, a village of no importance, but may rapidly increase in time, if, conformably to a plan which has been recently suggested, it be removed to the north north-east of its present site. The place where it is proposed to make the new port, being rather elevated, is consequently drier. As it is on the continent, there will be an opportunity to extend it, and it will be easy to employ more solid ma- terials than bamboo. The houses built there being better secured than with leather, will offer greater security to the merchant ; lastly, there will be no reason to apprehend that excessive dampness so fatal to strangers who reside at Kascakral. Thus this port may one day hold a considerable rank among those on the great * Vessels also come from Costa-Ricca with cargoes of salt meat ; it costs eight piastres per quintal, and causes the dyssen- tery. REPUBLIC OF COIX)MBIA. .301 Ocean. Instead of the canoes which now con- stitute its marine, we shall see large vessels ; and its filthy huts will be superseded by rich ma- gazines containing the produce of India and Eu- rope. Every inlet of the waters of the great Ocean is said to be a good port, in fact this sea is so rarely agitated by storms between the tropics along the coast of America, that vessels are safe in all places that are a little sheltered. To this ad- vantage, common to all the creeks on this coast, the bay of San-Buenaventura joins a considerable extent and depth of water. The bottom is ex- cellent, and ships of war can enter and remain at anchor without danger. The entrance is to the west south-west of Kascakral, whereas the mouth of the Dagua is to the south-east of the same point. This is not the only river which empties itself into it. The port of 8an-Buenaventura depends on Choco, a very interesting but imperfectly known province of New Grenada. This country begins at the gulph of Mexico, borders the north-west upon the territory of the barbarous hordes who live three days' journey from Panama, comprising apartof the eastern Cordilleras, is bounded to the west by the great Ocean, and ternjinates on the south at Escuande, situated to the south south- e?ist of the Gorgona, two days journey from San- Buenaventura. 50'i TRAVELS IN THE As Holland has been able by artificial means to make all its provinces communicate by water, 60 Choco is full of natural canals, which afford convenient means of intercourse between thegulph of Mexico and the great Ocean ; to render them the more easy,it would be sufficient to cut through the isthmus of San-Pablo ; then one might go from San-Buenaventura to la Quebrada de San- Joachim, which may be ascended in five hours ; two hours are sufficient to cross by land, the space between San-Joachin and the Guineo, which empties itself into the Calima. You descend this river till it falls into the San-Juan ; thence it takes one day to the Monguido ; from the Mon- guido to Panama, one day ; from Panama to Noa- namon, one day ; from Noanamon to la Boca de Dispurdu del Goasimon, one day ; from Dispur- du to la Boca de Tamana, one day ; from la Bo- ca to Novita, six hours ; from Novita to la Boca San-Pablo, one day; the isthmus of San-Pablo is traversed in four hours ; on the other side at San- Pablito, you embark on the Rio-Quito, reach in one day la Boca Certiga, and in another day, from Citara to the Atrato : from Citara to the mouth of the river, it is hundred and thirty-four leagues. In fifteen days therefore one may go from one ex- tremity of the province to the other, or from the Escuande, to the mouth of the Atrato.* Tliis large proportion of water, so advanta- * Vide note Xll. HKPUIJLIC OF COLOMIJIA. .30.'^ gcoiis to commercial intercourse, causes through- out the country a too great humidity, whicli the nature of the soil contributes to maintain. In fact from the sea-coast to the Cordilleras, Choco forms but one plain, which, in its greatest extent, may be about thirty leagues, is very low and co- vered with impenetrable forests ; the west north- west wind which daily blows on these coasts, vio- lently impels the clouds against the mountains, where they accumulate, break, and daily pour down torrents of rain which supply the infinite numbers of rivers with which the country is in- tersected in all directions. It would therefore be very difficult, without considerable expense to have good roads ; in this respect, the nature of the country has been favorable to the Spanish po- licy which dreaded, in the highest degree, all con- nexion between the countries of tlie interior, and the great Ocean ; even now it is attended with the greatest difficulty. The continual humidity which prevails in Choco, renders the climate, notwithstanding its latitude, very supportable, and at the same time very unhealthy ; the heat is tempered in this marshy country, but on the other hand, as nothing can become dry there, the strongest constitution is undermined ; all Europeans fall ill. The sun is not often seen, being almost con- stantly obscured by clouds ; sometimes however, when it approaches the horizon, it shines with 304 TRAVEI.S IN THE extraordinary splendor, and seems by the purple and golden tints with which it adorns the sky, destined to console this country so aboundant in treasures, and so seldom enlivened by a fine day. The soil of Choco has no variety ; no rocks are seen except in the beds of rivers ; the lands near the mountains are rich ; we remark how- ever but little cultivation ; that which has been here and there attempted, has produced such abundant crops as should be an inducement to extend it. The soil is in general of a very bright red colour, it consists of undulating vallies which contain very fine pastures ; the mountains, which surround them, are clothed with forests, into which man has never yet penetra- ted. There is a covering of gravel, sand, stones, and clay parallel to the horizon and confined within narrow limits. It begins at a 100 varas* above the level of the sea, and terminates at 800. It is there that gold is found, always mixed with platina ; beyond this point no metal is disco- vered. Thus not only the surface of Choco pos- sesses the richest forests, but the most precious and abundant treasures are extracted from its bosom ; gold is found wherever it is dug for, if care be taken not to go beyond the limits here pointed out. In the midst of all these riches, man is poor * About 259 French feet. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 305 and miserable, it is only on the eminences which are met with from time to time on the banks of the rivers that he has built his dwelling-, raising; it upon pillars : the beams and the floors wliich compose it, and the roof which covers it are all of bamboos. It is impossible to grow culinary vegetables in the natural soil, because the humidity would destroy them ; they therefore erect a flooring of bamboo several feet above the ground, which they cover with a thick layer of earth ; tlianks to this precaution, the vegetables they sow thrive very well. The same means are not necessary for the maize, sugar-cane and bananas ; these plants thrive remarkably well in these marshy countries; they might be grown in abundance if the con- stant dampness of the soil did not hinder the in- habitants from burning the forests which cover it, and from clearing a large extent of ground for cultivation. For the same reason, pastures are rare ; we therefore see but few cattle : while on tlie bank of the eastern Cordilleras, no value is at- tached to this kind of property, the inhabitants of Choco attempt in vain to increase the num- ber of their domestic animals. Thus the inliabitants of Choco have not, like those of the Magdalena, fine days to console them in their poverty ; the rain daily inundates their retreats, and cover with mud the spot they occupy; their canoe is perhaps the most healtliy, if X 306 TRAVELS IN THE it be not the driest place where they can live, and they accordingly pass all their time in it. Their huts are uninhabitable sties, and when they ascend by means of a beam of wood rudely cut into steps, to the chamber where they sleep, the slight roof is no defence against the rain which every where penetrates. The inhabitants of Choco, are there- fore very miserable, and it is very difficult for the population to increase in this country. It does not now amount to more than twenty thou- sand souls, and yet the province is nearly a hun- dred leagues in extent. The number of villages, if we may call by that name two or three huts, collected in one spot, is very limited. They are inhabited for the most part by negroes, people of colour and some Indians. The latter, though very mild, are still little better than savages. They are entirely naked ; the women wear only an apron. They paint themselves of divers co- lours ; this they say is a dress which clothes them. It is remarked, that the men prefer red, and the women black. They make in their ears large holes, in which they put bones, reeds or feathers. They blacken their teeth. These peo- ple are not brave ; they fly into the woods if a stranger enters their villages. The women weep and hide their faces with their hands, Avhen spo- ken to. The Indians have a violent antipathy to the negroes, and yet out of fear, give them, as they do the whites, the title of Amo (master.) RBPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. :}07 The men in g-encnil are better made than the wo- men ; tlieir features are more regular, and cliange less witli time. Tiie industry of these Indians is confined to the weaving of baskets or the manufacture of straw liats. Like all men of their race they do not love the whites, fear them g-reatly and never seek to form alliances with them. The language of the Indians of Choco is remarkable for the harshness and roughness of the pronunciation. By questioning these people we can learn what tilings they possessed before the arrival of the Spaniards ; for they have in general adopted the Castilian names for hor- ses, cows, wheat, &c., while maize, sugar-cane and potatoes, have proper names in the language of these Indians.* The blacks predominate in Choco. Almost all the negroes are slaves and work in the mines. The number of mulattoes is inconsiderable ; they here constitute the patrician class and are almost all proprietors of mines. Independent of gold and platina-j- this coun- try might export a considerable quantity of va- luable wood, resins, gums, tortoiseshell and pearls from the Gorgona. The dearness of provisions, the difficulty of collecting the productions, the bad condition of the towns and the ports, the * Vide Note XIV. f Platina is sold at three or four piastres per pound. x2 308 TRAVELS IN THE insalubrity of the air, which even obliges the government to increase the salaries of its officers one third, will long- deter merchants from resort- ing to it. A good road from the sea to the valley of the Caiica is particularly necessary ; all those which have been made are very bad. The ports whicli are at present the most frequented, are upon the great Ocean, namely Escuande, el Varo, San- Buenaventura, Chirambira, and Cupica ; on the gulph of Mexico, all the intercourse is carried on by the Atrato, Vessels of any considerable bur- den remain at the mouth of this river, where they generally are able to negociate with the captain who guards the entrance. They agree witli him for the purchase of tortoiseshell ; the English commonly prefer to treat with the Cuna- cunas whose ignorance they easily deceive. In ge- neral, tlierefore, only the Champans of Carthagena are seen at Citara, a port of the Atrato and chief town of the northern part of the province. There are not a thousand inhabitants at Citara. I found three Frenchmen at Kascakral. It will be easy to conceive the surprise and joy we mutually experienced on meeting at so great a distance from our native country. My companions had been by no means successful in business. After having engaged a passage on board a ship of Guayaquil, they took leave of me, and I was left alone The pleasure whicli I felt at meeting with these Frenchmen, in a RKPUIJLIC OF COLOMBIA. 301) pljic'o where I was so far froiii expcctin;,^ it, greatly increased iny desire of seeing my country again. At first fortune did not fa- vonr my impatience. There was in the port only one vessel, a schooner from Paita whicli was bound for Panama : though I had heard a great deal of the inconveniences to which passengers are snbject, I did not hesitate to take a ))assage in it, for which I agreed to pay forty-five piastres. The cargo of this vessel consisted of onions and salt. The delay in the sale of these articles impeded our departure. The vexation which this delay gave me, tlie privations I endured, and the kind of famine I had suffered ever since I left Cali, brought on an inflammatoiy fever ; I thought for some moments that I should never leave Kascakral, but my constitution resist- ed the disease- I soon recovered, and was able, on the 4th of November, to go on board. All our provisions consisted of some yards of dried meat. I was lodged in the store room ; this was the cabin. The rain setting in during the night, the crew took shelter in it, and then closed all the openings. I was stiffled ; the heat- the offensive exhalations from thegarlick, the onions, the bacon and the dirty clothes of the sailors prevented nic from sleeping ; however, thinking to set sail the same night 1 did not complain. 310 TRAVELS IN THE My expectation was deceived, the captain did not return on board till day-break, when they prepared to set sail. I came out of the filthy hole in which I had passed so wretched a night. To my great surprise I found on deck seven sailors, eight passengers, and the three negroes of Paita with whom I had travelled to las Juntas. The captain took the speaking trum- pet and gave the word of command, with the coolness and importance which skill and ex- perience inspire. Every body worked, but with so little dexterity that it took much time before we could get out to sea, though among the sai- lors there were two Genoese. It could not fail to excite surprise to see two men of the country of Colombus in the pay of an Indian captain. This man, notwithstanding the arrogance with which he gave himself out for a Spaniard, had no fea- ture which could, in this respect, impose upon a European ; he was fat, of very low stature, had a square countenance and tanned complexion ; his small eyes placed obliquely, his long hair brai- ded on the top of the head after the manner of the Chinese, fully j ustified the title of Chinos, Chinese, which is given to the inhabitants of Paita*. May we not suppose that, after that * Some years ago San Martin made the soldiers of Paita have their hair cut ; this measure met^with strong opposition. UKl'UliLIC OF COLOMItlA. .'ill town li;i(l I)c'L'n ])mMit ])y Anson, the Spjin'uirds rejK'opicd it with Ciiinese from Manilla? At last we set sail, and doubled the sand bank to the left of the bay, and the two insulated rocks which terminate it on the right. Aly Pe- ruvians had given me a very poor proof of their ability, and I much feared lest their imprudence should cost me dear; but I soon gave up my bad opinion of them when I saw them boldly launch into the open sea, and in spite of their cotton sails, the cordage which was quite chafed, and the heavy and unmanageable sails of the schooner, steer off from the coast, and, without any other guide then the compass and some points the position of which is perfectly known to them, navigate without sextant, and without a log, pass near the pearl island, and arrive at Panama without any accident. I must confess however, that I was not always without uneasiness, respecting their experience, though, on the other hand, I was tranquillized by the calmness of the sea. The sailors of the great Ocean are so timid that, on the least agitation of the waves, mine began to sing hymns ; this seemed to presage great dangers ; every morning and evening they assembled to invoke the pro- tection of the Saints, whose existence the captain afterwards had the boldness and impiety to deny when the winds grew calm, and we approached near to Panama. 312 TRAVELS IN THE We cast anchor in the roads of this town on the 12th of November, after a voyage of eight days. Though it was night, and I was exhausted by several days fasting and fever, I went on shore. I found a room, a bad supper and a hammock ; but I enjoyed during a few moments reflection, which preceded my sleep, the inexpressible plea- sure of being on land, far from the pestilential exhalations of the vessel of Pai'ta, from the brutal savages on board it, and from all the hardships that are experienced at sea, and which I had felt to their fullest extent in my passage from San-Buenaventura to Panama. The great Ocean, between the tropics, enjoys like the Cordilleras, a temperature which is almost constantly the same. The air is calm, and but seldom agitated by the dreadful storms which ravage the gulph of Mexico*. As in the Cordillera, the atmosphere is cooled by two general winds or monsoons. Thus the wishes of the navigators on this Ocean, like those of the cultivator in the Andes, are seldom disappointed ; his only cause of complaint is that he is sometimes detained in his course by the want of wind. Between the tro- pic of Cancer and the line, the winds blow from November to April from the north and are rainy; during the other six, when they come from the * The establishment of steam boats would be very easy and advantageous on the great Ocean, in a few years the Eng- lish will have them between Lima and Panama. UKPLDLIC OF COLOMBIA. 'Mil south, they are dry. This order is sometimes in- terrupted by west winds or by easterly breezes, wiiich are at times pretty violent before the isth- mus of Panama. Tliese exceptions do not how- ever destroy the influence which the Cordillera has upon the great Ocean, and which is said to be perceptible two hundred leagues from the continent. Two main currents have been observ- ed ; as well as the tides they are very strong. The sky in these seas has neither the azure of that of the Canaries, nor the ashy whiteness of that on the coasts of the Zahara ; it rather re- sembles that of our western maritime provinces. In proportion as the Cordilleras approach the sea the sky is less sombre ; near Panama it lias only some scattered clouds ; from Paita to Lima it is dry, fogs take the place of the rains which fall periodically between Guayaquil and la Vera- gua. The great Ocean is almost solitary between Lima and Mexico; but few ships are met with. The commerce is confined to six principal ports : Valparaiso, (Chili), Callao, (Peru), Guayaquil, and Panama, (Colombia), San-Blas, and Acapulco, (Mexico.) A small number only of English, French, Genoese, and north Americans go higher than Guayaquil. The English of Jamaica, who have the monopoly of the trade of the isthmus of Panama, are said to send merchandize to the va- lue of two millions of piastres. They employ a ship of war to protect the small vessels used in 314 TRAVELS IN THE this trade : they take great care to send them at different times, that there may not be any glut at Panama, and consequently a decline in the prices. The returns from Mexico, by this channel, consist of silver ; those from Guayaquil of gold and cocoa. The ships of Pa'ita alone carry on the coast- m^ trade. This port of Peru, which has been burnt at two distant periods by two Englishmen, Anson in 1741, and Cochrane in 1810, contains a population of very active Indian lialf whites. They are the Bretons of the great Ocean, and are met with every where. 1 he cargoes they take, and which are sufficient to maintain the inter- course between Panama, Guayaquil and Peru, consist of wine of Lambaike*, salt, onions, gar- lick and scullions. The price of these articles like that of the macaw of Cuba at Carthagena, occupies much more attention than that of gold and pearls. Thus Holland founded its wealth on the herring fishery ; but Paita is very far from that point. Guayaquil is, at present, the most important port in the great Ocean ; numerous vessels are attracted there by the quantity of goods collected which consist of cocoa, coffee, wood of all kinds and cocoa-nuts. This latter article, though of little value, is in great request : in general tlie fortune * A town of Peru. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 315 of nations has been founded on the sale of the commonest articles. Ships seldom put into Bue- naventura or Panama ; there notliing is to be iiad, and here there is only a transit trade wliich is entirely in the hands of the English. In con- sequence, if they do not return from Guayaquil to Europe, they prefer employing two months to go as high as San-Blas to sell mercury and other goods receiving ingots in return. Though the ships fitted out in the great Ocean are not nu- merous, yet the trade in iron, tar and cordage is not inconsiderable ; iron is sold at 10 piastres, cordage 16, and tar from 8 to 10 piastres per quintal. Provisions are scarce and dear in all the ports : no dependence can now be placed on the kind hospitality of the inhabitants of the Cor- dilleras, every thing is sold and at a high price; services, attention, every thing nmst be paid for : in consequence of the increased connexion of these countries with Europe, who knows how high they will rise ? The people who inhabit the coast of the great Ocean from Lima as far as Panama, have an Asiatic physiognomy and habits ; they are greedy and self-interested, and have entirely retained the moral and physical character of their antient fellow citizens of the Philippines. 316 TRAVELS IN THIi CHAPTER XVII. Description of tlic town of Panama — The women of Colombia. Guayaquil is built of wood, Buenaventuru of straw ; Panama lias retained something of both these kinds of architecture ; at first sight, how- ever, this town pleases the European ; he sees houses of three stories, inhabited by several fa- milies ; consequently, as in his own country, noise and bustle. To these features of resemblance, which first strike him, must be added others that are less agreeable, especially excessive uncleanliness, in- creased by that carelessness, whicli is natural in a warm country, and among a people of Spanish origin. At Carthagena there is not a single chair, here the houses are crowded with furniture ; fowls and pigeons enter every where, while, in the court yard, the pigs live on all the filth which is thrown out of the windows ; this being only means the inhabitants have yet found of getting rid of it. The streets are narrow, and much darker than those of Carthagena, and even much dir- tier ; at night they are suflliciently lighted by REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 317 the vSliops, where the tradespeople cndccavour to introduce a degree of order and neatness, which sliews their frequentintercoiirse with the English. The magazines of provisions, in particular, are better arranged than those of the towns of the interior ; they contain many articles of the United States, and a great quantity of wines and liquors of all kinds. There is a coffee house at Panama, where nothing but coffee is sold : it is much drunk in the towns of the great Ocean, and begins to supercede chocolate. Panama is divided into the upper and lower town ; this latter part is called el Varal, it is the most populous ; nothing but men of colour are met with here, though tliey are admitted into so- ciety, and though all kind of respect is affected towards them, yet, at a ball which took place a little before my arrival, the whitest ladies re- fused to dance with the black officers of the gar- rison ; it required all the authority of their hus- bands to oblige them. Panama has, in fact, no port ; we saw neither quay, bason, nor dock. Near the land- ing place, is a flight of steps leading to a dark passage where the market is kept. The roads are very bad on account of the north winds, wiiich are sometimes very violent. Panama is built on a peninsula, so that, being surrounded by water on almost eveiy side, the air is unwholesome, and epidemic disorder? 318 TRAVELS IN THE frequent : the heat is very severe, and the rains are of long continuance. The inhabitants of Pa- nama have often had to repulse the attacks of the Indians ; at present they enjoy profound peace. The Indians have retired into their mountains, situated at four days' journey from the capital, and never leave them except for the purposes of barter. They are believed to be cannibals, and for this reason, people are afraid to approach cape Garachine, whither they sometimes resort. On several occasions, however, government cou- riers have been sent by the way of Darien ; though they have never been attacked, the roads are so bad, that it is thought better to follow the old way opened by the Spaniards, by the great Ocean, between Panama and the capital. But, instead of going to Cupica, they now go to San-Buena- ventura. This service is very indifferently per- formed. The men and women dress in the English fashion. The latter go bareheaded, and let their hair fall in tresses on their shoulders. In gene- ral there is more elegance in the costume at Car- thagena, and more originality at Santa-Ffe. The women of the lower classes have retained the fur- belows and the laces, which have long since disap- peared among us. They often use their ruffles instead of pocket handkerchiefs, and have the strange custom of concealing their money and their segars in their hair. RE PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 31*^ I could not form an opinion of tlic women of Colombia, till I had visited the two regions of wliich the country is composed ; the Cordillera and the plains. I therefore determined not to say anything on this delicate subject till I arrived at Panama ; in which I was right, for this city has furnished me with a multitude of traits, which were wanting to complete the portrait I had sketched of the Colombian women. It has been continually reported that the Spaniards are extremely jealous of their wives ; they have been always represented Avith a dagger in their hands : this certainly is not the case in America. In the very different climates of the Andes and the Lla- nos, the women equally exercise an irresistible influence over their indolent and enervated hus- bands. Far from being confined within iron gratings, diversions, balls, visits, everything is permitted them, without their having to fear the controul of their husbands, who rarely accom- pany them. Slaves in the hot countries, and female servants in the cold countries, are alone admitted to the secret of their promenades, in which they attend them. It is a pretty general opinion that, in pro- portion as the country is warmer, the hair of the women is blacker, and that in the cold countries it is generally fair. This observation, though correct in Europe, does not apply here ; it is quite the contrary. At Carthagena, we see many wo- 320 TRAVELS IN THE men with fair, and even red hair ; and at Santa- Fe, where the temperature is so cold^ we find none but brown. It is with surprise that we see on the coast of Colombia, only 10 degrees from the line, women, whose thick hair is of a length that might be envied in Europe. Those who pos- sess it are of course very careful to make it one of their finest ornaments. At Panama, they form it into two tresses, which hang down on their shoulders ; at Carthagena, they arrange it in thick tufts on the front of the head, where it is generally fastened by a tortoise shell comb, and flowers of different colours are artfully mixed with it. In some parts of the Cordillera, the la- dies fasten in their hair shining insects called Cucuyos, the lustre of which is superior to that of the emerald. In the women of warm climates, there is nothing more beautiful than the head ; the fea- tures have a delicacy, the eyes a lustre which is found only in Spanish women. They have also pretty hands ; their feet are extremely small, but this, perhaps, injures the equilibrium of the body, thecontinual see-saw of which is far from graceful. Nevertheless, the ladies of the tierras calientes have much more dignity in their carriage than those of the cold countries ; the former have the manners of ladies of quality ; the others have too often the awkward air of bourgeoises. If the hair of the latter is not so beautiful UEPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. l\2\ as that of the women on the coast, if tlieir eye is without expression, if their iiands and feet are not so delicate as tliose of their ri- vals, they have, on the other hand, forms which retain their grace to an advanced period of life, and are free from that leanness, with which the others may be reproached ; the women of tlie Andes would be even mucli more beautiful, if they had not in general bad teeth ; the beauty of their complexion cannot fail to please a Euro- pean in particular, though it is far from equal- ling that of the women of Europe. In general, the Flemings may give an idea of the children of the Spaniards in the Cordillera ; the two races, derived from a common origin, but chilled by an equally cold climate, have a striking resemblance even in their accent: it is nearly the same. Like the Flemish women, those of the tierras frias, have rather too much embonpoint; they have neither the r.nglish melancholy nor the German languor ; a pleasing smile, which is their true character, is always on their lips ; their counte- nance is impressed with an air of kindness and mildness, which their humane and charitable character does not contradict. The Arab nasal pronunciation, which the women on the coast have, in a very great degree, often renders their language disagreeable ; the women of the Cordillera, on the contrary, speak in a slow Y 322 TRAVELS IN THK and measured manner, like tlie Creoles of our Antilles. The costume of the women of the Cordille- ra is very original ; when they go abroad, they wear a black silk petticoat, which is sufficiently close to shew the form ; a piece of blue cloth thrown over the head, and falling in a triangular shape down to the waist, is contrived to hide the arms, which are always bare ; no part of the face is to be seen except the nose and eyes. Above this mantilla, they put on a hat with a shallow crown, and broad brim. The women of the coast gradually renounce the elegant costume of the AndalusiaiTLS, to adopt that of the English ladies. The education of the women of Spanish Ame- rica is much less advanced than that of the wo- men of North America ; a very few are able to sing or play on some instrument ; yet they are naturally better musicians than the others ; they are intelligent, quick of apprehension, and learn with facility ; on the other hand, they are defi- cient in judgment and taste. The Colombian women have no great love for each other ; party spirit is not the only cause of this antipathy. Envy, the rivalry of rank, fortune, origin, cast, diffuse in society a spirit of hatred, which is not at first observed amidst the caresses which they lavish on each other, and KEPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA, 323 which shews the great art of the people of the Iiot countries in dissimulation. But when two female friends, if there be any such, open their hearts to each other, then their neighbours are sacrificed without mercy ; they exhaust all the sarcasms of slander. This is a kind of conversation natural enough to women who seldom go out, and pass their days in turning over a book, which ennui makes them throw aside twenty times, or in braiding their hair, or in reclining on a bed and smoking a segar. Slander is not the only aliment of tlie con- versation of the Colombian ladies ; love also has a great share in it : they speak of it with the freedom that men in France use in their conver- sations. They talk of the lover of la Seraphina, la Concepcion, la Incarnacion, with an openness which would make a well educated European lady blush. Confided from their tenderest in- fancy to the care of corrupt servants, many young ladies derive their first ideas from their conversation, and they are acquainted with the language of vice, while they are ignorant of that of virtue which is spoken to them at the age of twelve years, by a confessor, who is sometimes ignorant, and often dangerous. Leaving the convents, where they are taught nothing but reading and writing, they enter the world at the age of fifteen, without any means of resist- ¥ 2 824 TRAVELS IN THi: ing the dangers to which they are exposed, but the first ideas of their childhood. Instead of turning their thoughts to useful employments, or agreeable arts, the only diversion they know is that of smoking. Such they are, when their parents, weary of a long, and often useless superintendence, think of marrying them. Their choice is soon made, for they have only to attend to some pe- cuniary considerations. 'J'he marriage is con- cluded ; ardent desires are soon satisfied, the man and wife soon perceive that they have never loved each other ; and this observation is soon succeeded by hatred. In general the appear- ances of concord and friendship are preserved till the birth of the second child. They then come to an amicable rupture, and the husband separates from his wife. Such is the termination of marriages in the eastern Cordillera. It is different on the coast and in the western Cordillera ; the conduct of the women is more strict ; wherever there are helots, the women are more reserved, because it is necessary for them to be on their guard before their slaves, in order to insure their respect and obedience. On the other hand, the morals of the men are perhaps less pure than elsewhere. It is affirmed that the women of the hot countries are much more interested than those of the cold ones : RKI'IIBI.IC OF COLOMBIA. 325 shall \vc then suj)p()se that, virtue as it is more or less austere, is l)ut interest better or worse understood ? All the woiuen are very devout with- out being- fanatiral ; they are fond of the cere- monies of reli«:ion because thev are eairer for something to occupy their attention. The women of the Cordillera and the plain, therefore, have opposite kinds of beauty; how- ever, no great dilFerence is observal)le in their habits and character : the antipathy between them is excessive ; those of the coast g-ive to the women of the Andes the name of lanuias, or woolly, because they are dressed in cloth ; the latter call the others by the epithet of calcnta- nas, hot. National hatred has in general no other origin than the rivalship and the quarrels of the women ; and here the nature of the country contributes to foment and to perpetuate them. 1 am now on the point of quitting Colom- bia, after having travelled in it a whole year. I have been enabled, during this long stay, to col- lect a multiplicity of details, many of which were little known ; I have introduced them in the preceding narrative, but I have not com- pleted my task. I have spoken only in a cur- sory manner of the manufactures, the commerce, and the agriculture of the country ; and I nmst not leave it without giving a more particular 326 TRAVELS IN THE account of these several branches of public pros- perity. I intend to make a few observations on the physical appearance of Colombia, and the public spirit of the inhabitants. They will serve to explain a thousand particulars which seem to contradict the ideas generally entertained of the equinoctial countries of America and the people who inhabit them. REPUBLIC OK COLOMBIA. ,'V27 CHAPTER XVTIl. Description of (he Kepublie of Colombia — IMomitaiiis — Cliiiialr — Air — Seasons— Teiiipcraturc — Wiiul — Kaiii — Tropical IndiioiKt ll,ir\est — ForestP — Rivers — Ravines — Mines — Lakes — Seas — Wild Animals — Domestic Animals — Plains of the Oronooko — (Jeneral appearance of the Country. The republic of Colombia comprises two coun- tries entirely different, which the Spanish govern- ment had also separated in the political division it established. 1. New Grenada; this viccroyalty was formed of the provinces of the Cordilleras from Guayaquil to IMerida, of that of Casanare and San-Juan dc los Llanos. 2. Caracas ; this capital ncy contained Cuniana, Barcelona, Cara- cas, Varinas, and Guyana, consequently the greater part of the plains. The Cordillera of the Andes, at 2" of the south of the line, divides into three branches, only one of which, the most westerly, extends through the isthmus of Panama into North America ; the two others terminate at the gulph of Mexico. All these are divided into tierras calientes (warm lands), which are ge- nerally the vallies of the rivers and the mari- time provinces ; tierras templeadas (temperate lands) ; tierras frias (cold lands) ; paramos (bar- 228 TRAVELS IN THE ren lands ; lastly, nevados (lands covered with snow.) The same mountain sometimes contains them all. It is strange enough, and is the most curious phenomenon in the Indies, that we can pass, in the same day, from the burning climate of the coast of central Africa to that of the frozen regions of Lapland ; a transition which is with- out danger, because it is not sudden, and a man may change his climate according to circum- stances and the strength of his constitution. Tims, invalids of Santa-Fe, v/ho cannot bear the cold, which is often severe, go in search of warmth, as people visit France to take the waters, yet with the singular advantage of find- ing a milder temperature, before the end of the day on which they set out. For instance, if they go to Cakesa, after passing at sun-rise fine fields of barley and green meadows, and crossing rapid- ly, at eleven o'clock, the heaths of the damp and frozen mountains which overlook them, they de- scend their sides at three o'clock under the shade of quinquina-trees, and walk before nigiit among banians, sugar-canes, the sugar-apple fannona squamosa J and coffee-trees ; a valuable privilege attached to this fortunate country, and which is repeated in a thousand places. The appearance of these mountains is no less varied than their temperature. At their feet ex- tend on one side immense pastures, on the other impenetrable forests ; the vallies, if we except RKPUJJLIC OF COLOMBIA. 329 those through which tlie rivers (low, are genenilly at ti considerable elevation. The climate of the tierras calientes, in the Cordilleras, is burning, without being unwhole- some ; the European suffers much from tlie heat, but it seldom proves fatal to him. The tempe- rature is too hot to be agreeable to liim ; but, being cooled from time to time, and purified by the salutary breezes from the Andes, it is not deadly. As soon as you iiave ascended to the elevation of 400 toises, you breathe a cooler air, which, however, does not yet seem temperate ; at 600 toises, the European approaches an atmos- phere which suits him ; at 900, is on its borders : from 1,000 to 1,400, he is in it; these are the tierras frias. Here he finds iiis own climate, though the cold is disagreeable to him for some time. Higher up, that of the paramos appears rigorous ; and, in the nevados, he sometimes pe- rishes, like the natives of the country, benumbed by the cliilling winds which blow there. Tiie air respired is tlierefore very different, according to the elevation at whicli we are placed ; rendered heavy by the vapours with which it is loaded, it is disagreeable to the smell at the foot of Cordillera, and reminds those who have visited other parts of the world between tlie tropics, of tliat w^hich prevails in tlie low regions, and the pestilential exhalations brought by it. Above these burning spots, the air, embalmed by 330 TRAVELS IN THE the sweet perfume of the ttovvers and aromatic plants, charms every sense, and we fancy our- selves in Europe. There are in the Cordilleras four seasons diflferent from ours: they rather resemble those of the tropics, that is to say, there are two dry and two rainy seasons. The first commence at the solstices, and the other at the equinoxes ; their setting in, sometimes varies a fortnight. As to the temperature, it does not experience any change, and it is in this that the seasons of America are so different from ours. IVo degrees produce a sensible difference between the cold of winter and that of the dry season ; yet it must be observed, that it is greater in proportion as you descend tOAvards the foot of the mountain ; it is then sometimes one-third ; so that, after rain, the thermometer sometimes falls from 24" to 16". The snow-clad mountains of Cucuy serve to cool the lower and interior tracts which surround them, in the same manner as the mountains which are nearer the equator temper the heat, which would have burnt up the provinces situ- ated along the great Ocean. At intervals, we saw in the western Cordillera some of those sum- mits covered with snow, such as the Coconuos and the Quindiu ; lower down there are none of them, l)ecausc to the east the mountains of 8anta- Martha rise to the limit of perpetual snow ; and REPUBLIC OF COLOMHIA. 331 further on the Cordilleras, confined between two seas, exposed on all sides to the winds and tern- pests. Thongh the winds are variable in the Cordil- leras, two may be distingnished as general, name- ly, tlie north and the soutli ; these follow the di- rection of the Cordillera : the sonth wind brings fine weather, and the north rain and storms. Nevertheless, all the places sitnated beyond the mountain to the east, are excepted from this rule ; they are subject to the winds of the plains, as the provinces washed by the great Ocean are to the sea winds, and those to the south of the line to the winds from the north-west. It seldom rains in the Cordilleras in the dry season, and there is rarely a day without rain dur- ing the wet one ; so that, as in all the equinoctial regions, we may reckon six months rain and six months dry weather, though they are differently distributed ; in fact, it rains in March, April, May, and June ; the sky is serene in July, Au- gust, and September ; the rains recommence in October, November, and December, and are succeeded by the fine weather, whicli continues from the end of that month to the beginning of March. Even in that part, where we are reminded of Europe and its productions, as at Tunja and Santa-F^, the same tropical influence is ob- served. The trees are always green ; instead of 332 TRAVEF.S IN THE the rains, which inundate the plain from June to October, there are frozen mists, which render the dog--days very cold. To these revolutions of the atmosphere, very different from those which take place among- us, are attributed the fatal diseases which there often afflict man, and which we ascribe to the excessive heat. To this benevolent arrangement of nature are owing more abundant harvests, which are rarely destroyed by the rigour or changeableness of the seasons ; if any circumstance destroys it in one place, the effect of these disasters is easily repaired by the products of the rich harvests gathered at a short distance. The land, therefore, hardly ever disappoints the expectation of the cultivator; thus his la- bours are different, according to the places in which he sows In the burning plains of the Magdalena and of the Cauca, excellent tobacco is grown : they cultivate the banians, sugar cane, cacao, and likewise maize, the constant compa- nion of man wherever he settles ; in fact, it is met with near the fields of wheat, oats, and pota- toes, which cover the regions of the cold lands. In the elevated spots, wheat is sown in March ; towards the middle of the mountains, maize in July ; and in the valley, in September. The harvest is gathered here in January, higher up in October, and on the paramos in August. The more the soil is scorched by the heat of Rl PI BLIC «iF COLOMBIA. '..VA'A the sun, unci at the same time the more freciiioiitly inundated, the more vast and majestic are the forests. In proportion to the elevation, the height of the trees diminishes, and at 1,300 toises they are very rare. A great number of rivers, which are impor- tant on account of the communications they may sometime afford, flow in the territory of Colom- bia : the Zulia, enters the lake of Maracaibo ; and the Atrato, the gulph of Mexico, after having traversed a part of Choco ; the Rio San- Juan, which flows through the western part of this province, empties itself into the great Ocean ; the impetuous Dagua, which rises in the heights of the Cali, falls into the same sea at San Buena- ventura ; the Rio de las Esmeraldas, which comes from the environs of Quito ; and the Rio de Guayaquil, by which the productions of the pro- vinces near Chimborazo are conveyed to the coast, also go into the great Ocean. From the back of the eastern chain of the Andes, larger rivers flow than those which descend from the western Cordilleras ; they carry the tribute of their waters to the Oronooko and the Amazons, both of which enter the Atlantic, after having been joined in their course by the rio Negro and the Cassiquiare. The principal are, the Apure, which traverses the province of Varinas ; the Meta, which rises at the distance of some days' journey from the capital, and in the same ciiain 334 TRAVELS IN THE of mountains where it is situated ; lastly, the Putu-Mayo, which, issuing from a lake upon a paramo, situated on the mountains of Pasto, carries its watei'S to the Amazon. These are not the only means of communica- tion afforded by nature : she lias every where pierced the walls of the Cordilleras, and opened passag-es by means of rivers, which although considerable, are scarcely navigable on account of the rocks obstructing their beds. Torrents, ravines, rivulets, fertilize the country, and often afford the inhabitants roads, which all their efforts would never have been able to open. The streams issuing from the Cordilleras, flowing on rocks and beds of gravel, are generally clear and cool ; for this reason they are said to be unwhole- some, the cause of which may be the particles ot metal which they contain. Among the sands which they bring down, small grains of gold and of iron pyrites are often found, and even emeralds and other precious stones, which the people are too ignorant to collect. The Cordilleras must not therefore be looked upon as an assemblage of inaccessible mountains, as they appear to be at a distance. By means of the first range of the heights, wliich are, as it were, buttresses destined to support the prodi- gious arch of the Andes, and of the ravines, which the rains have hollowed out, and which serve to carry them off, the people everywhere find steps KKPUBLH; OF COLOMBIA. :3,'i.> to aid them in .iscciiding the inountains; as they advance, they meet with vallies vvJiich nature has phieeti at intervals, and has adorned with all imaginable charms. At last, they arrive at the plateaus, which, like those of Bogota and Quito, form tlie boundary of so many wonders ; when we reach the Panama, where vegetation ceases, we are not inclined to complain of the rigour of the cold, upon reflecting that these ste- rile tracts are destined to preserve it, for the hot and unwholesome winds of the plains, purified on their summits, descend from them in beneficial breezes into the vallies which they command, while from their sides the streams flow which are to fertilize them. If the earth produces abundant harvests, if the same mountain yields the harvests of Eu- rope, and, lower down, those of the tropics, lastly, if the forests, which partly cover it, abound in medicinal plants, gums, resins, and valuable woods both for dying and building, its bosom contains immense riches. There are provinces, like Choco, where the soil may be said to be entirely of gold. 7'he metals, like the agricultural pro- duce, are, with some exceptions, limited to par- ticular districts. At 50 toises, we begin to find the zone of gold and platina, and higher that of silver ; copper and iron are nearly at the summit of the mountains. In the neighbourhood of the principal para- 336 TUAVELS IN THE mos, there are generally lakes, often of considera- ble extent, and agitated like the sea. They maybe considered as the source of all the rivers which defend the Andes from the drought, which the vicinity of the equator would occasion, but for \\ ise disposition of Providence. The seas which bound the republic of Colom- bia are tranquil. The temperature and climate of that part of the great Ocean wliich bathes the coasts of this country, are the same as those on the continent. The Atlantic ocean has few dan- g;ers foi* mariners ; the gulph of Mexico, on the contrary, present many. The storms and the pi- rates combine against merchants ; both spread terror and devastation on the sea and the coast. The wild animals, the jaguar, the conguar, the serpents, crocodiles and large lizards, centi- pedes, scorpions, toads, (acarus americanus) the sting of which causes the hair to fall off, make the shuddering of terror succeed to melancholy in the hot plains. The traveller knows not where to walk, to sit down or to sleep ; the howl- ing of the winds, the rustling of the leaves, every thing alarms him ; the spangles vvith which the fire flies illumine the woods during the night, look like the glaring eyes of a serpent, and chill him with horror. All the domestic animals of Europe* have * At Popayan and Santa-F^, llamas are kept as a cu- riosity, for they are never employed as be.asts of burthen. RK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. .'^37 increased prodigeously in America. While every where else, the heat and low situation contri- bute to develope their strength and size, and the elevation of the lands and the cold to check them, in the immense territorv of Colombia, we find just the contrary : the animals are all small and nntameable in the plains, while those on the mountains are strong, large and docile;* a fact which is the more curious, as in the Antilles they have preserved the habits, the forms and the size which they have in Europe. These islands have, in every thing, the appearance of colonies, the continent alone has a physiognomy peculiar to itself. At the foot of these heights extend the al- most uninhabited plains watered by the Meta and the Oronooko, and fiirtlier towards the north, the rich plains of Venezuela. The physical descrip- tion of these countries may serve for all those which are scorched by the equatorial sun. Six months rain from April to November, and six months drought, divide the year. The east wind prevails in the one, and the north in the otlier. Nature shines in this country in all the splendour with which the climate of the tropics adorns it ; immense forests, savannahs of prodigious extent, and which are traversed by rivers confined within * It is not the same with birds, which are larger and fatter in the plains than in the mountains. Z tVSH TRAVELS JN THi: their beds for six months, and during the other six, overflowing' their banks to a great distance, such is the picture of the provinces of the Llanos, of the Guyana and of the Casanare ; we must return into those of Caracas and the Cumana to escape the deluge which changes so considerable a tract of country into marshes and lakes. Thus, while a mild temperature and a drier soil induce the whites (Americans) to cultivate the noble country of Venezuela, breeding of cattle seems to be the only kind of occupation which can be followed in the midst of the marshes formed by the overflow- ing of so many rivers, and of the forests which line their banks, the trees of which serve as the abode of some Indian tribe during the season of storms. Thus on an immense extent of '29,952 square leagues, which M. von Humboldt supposes it to contain, the territory of Colombia presents a thousand different aspects ; they are seldom ani- mated by the presence of man ; a profound si- lence reigns through nature ; the desert spaces are so great, that, during whole days, the traveller might fancy himself in a country where human foot had never trod. The names of places, villa- ges and provinces ; the manners, customs, and even the situation occupied by the Indian habi- tations, are all unchanged. The solitudes are as profound, the forests as impenetrable, the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 339 mountains as inaccessible, animated nature as solitary; everything, in short, with the excep- tion of a few places, is as savage as when the Spaniards entered it. They have contented them- selves with enlarging the hamlets and villages where the aborigenes dwelt, and have only culti- vated those fields which surrounded places for- merly inhabited. 340 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER XIX. Population — Inhabit aiits of the Paramos — Inhabitants of the corn moun- tains — Inhabitants of the plains — ludios braves — Negro Slaves — Religion. Y^ All All the provinces of Colombia were so united under the Spanish government, they had so sel- dom occasion to compare themselves together and to hate each other, that they knew only the two great divisions of Caracas and New Grenada. The distinctions of colours and cast were unknown. There were only slaves, subjects and a sovereign. Now that titles have been abolished to revive the rights of each individual, there are neither mas- ters nor slaves ; we find only equals ready to tear each other to pieces./^ Formerly all consti- tuted one great Spanish family, at present, if we except their language and religion which are the same, the bonds of union are broken. Here are the blacks and there the whites ; on one side the half whites, and on the other mulattoes. To make these differences better known, we shallgivea distinct account of the different races, their origin and their mixture ; we shall class the inhabitants of Colombia according to the places which they inhabit, and describe in a separate chap- KKI'UHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 'M\ ter their national cliaracteiv, dividing tlicin into inhabitants of tlie hot and tlie cold lands. In general the Creoles who are called whites, descend from a mixtnrc of the Spanish race with the blacks and Indians. In the maritime [)rovin- ces, the first especially have entered into European families; and in the Cordilleras, it has been ne- cessary to admit the Indians. The whites on the coast, have all the Spanish features ; those of the Cordilleras have more re- semblance with the Europeans of the north, though their eyes have retained in a great degree the obliquity of the Indians ; they have gene- rally black and rough hair like the aborigenes of the New World. A great number of tiie inhabitants of Colom- bia are disfigured by two horrid maladies, the syphilis and the goitres ; the children are born with the germs of the disorder. Tiie first seems to be endemical in the country. Neglected by the ignorance of the inhabitants, it assumes a thousand different shapes ; nevertheless it is not so violent as in Europe ; every remedy is at hand to check its progress. Nothing can cure the goitre ; there are pla- ces where every body is afflicted with it, without any reason that can be assigned. However, in general, it is met with only in the mountains, and in places remote from the influence of the sea breezes. 342 TRAVELS IN THE The negroes and Indians have a strong con- stitution, very superior to that of the whites. The negroes have all the characteristics of the African countenance ; among those of Colombia are placed the children of the Indian and the black, whose features are generally handsome, with a good stature and long hair ; they are called zainbos. The Indians are very robust ; their teeth never decay, and their hair does not turn grey, till they are ninety years of age. They are ex- tremely sober, and their stomach so strong, that nothing can incommode them. The Indians have round countenances, rather more broad than long, and a little convex ; the forehead flattened and the hair coming down within two fingers breadth of the eye-brows ; the skull low ; the nose small and thin ; their eyes black, oblique and without expression ; very prominent cheek bones, their lips rather thick ; they have no beard till a very advanced age. They are of middling stature ; their body square and broad is supported by little crooked legs. Their co- lour is copper in the mountains, and bronze in the plains. The Indians, formerly condemned to a state of servitude, have all been declared free since the revolution ; so that we hear no more of the distinctions of Indios reducidos (reduced Indians) ; but that of Indios rucionales or civili- RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 313 zados, (riitioiial or civiliztd Iiuliaiis) ; and those of Indios bravos, irracionaUs, salrafres, (savage Indians). All the Indians of the mountains, except those who inhabit the heights of Santa-Martha, and some parts of the chain of the Quindin, are classed under the first head ; a small numi)er of the Indians of the plains may be included in it ; the remainder form part of the second. The latter are esteemed for their perseve- rance in labour, and their strength, which renders them capable of resisting the inclemency of the weather, though it is not equal to too severe labour. They are also valued for works which require patience, and above all for their obe- dience. The Indios bravos are an entirely opposite character; whence the effeminacy which is al- ways the effect of a warm and moist tempera- ture, has been ascribed to the custom followed by those of the mountains of placing their huts on the sides of lakes and marshes, and their immo- derate use of chicha. A temperate climate which never varies induces peaceable manners ; besides, three centu- ries of peace, the abundance produced by easy agricultural labours, of which they are fond, the repose secured by the remoteness or absence of formidable enemies, have preserved among the Indians that mild and docile character, which 344 TRAVELS IN THE they had even at the time of the conquest, since in the Cordillera, royalty was every where es- tablished on a splendid footing, and a traveller without quitting the summit of the Andes, passed from one monarchy to another, from Mexico to Peru. On the highest summit of the Cordillera, we meet with Indians feeding their flocks, or retired into their huts, without any other clothing than a cotton shirt, and trowsers ; they seldom need any fire to warm themselves ; whereas in the de- serts of Africa, the people cannot sleep in the night, without lighting one. The Indians hard- ly ever enjoy the sight and the agreeable warmth of the sun. Always enveloped in vapours, chilled by the winds which descend from the snowy peaks, from which they are sometimes only a few toises distant ; almost naked, but accus- tomed to this miserable life, they pass their days unknown to the rest of mankind, with whose existence they are themselves unacquainted. Happy in the enjoyment of a liberty which no- body envies them, they roam about the heaths of the paramos, without thinking that the universe is at their feet ; for them it begins in the region of the cryptogamous plants, and ends with that of the snows. There is something singular, though it has been but little remarked, in the existence of a pastoral peo])ie, placed at the height of 2,000 toises REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. ,S45 above the level of the sea, who have pasturaj^cs as rich as those of the plains of Russia, and live amid rocks as elevated as the Peak of Tenerifte. From these dcvsolate scenes, where vegetation expires, we descend to those where it revives, and where nature resumes her strength. Here we find another nation of Indians, who cultivate the soil; the fields are covered with harvests, the seeds of which they have received from Europe. The Indian does not like living in large so- cieties; — he is melancholy, and it is seldom that a neighbour troubles his repose. Perhaps the In- dians originally dispersed themselves in this man- ner, that they might not have among them a Spaniard under the name of priest or an alcaid. The Indian of the mountain is not like the negro, noisy in his pleasures, though equally par- tial to music and dancing ; tlicy are both fond of them in a different manner. The negro when dancing leaps, springs, and stamps with his feet ; the Indian, on the contrary, moves with a slow measured step ; the one is animated only by the sound of the drum, and the noise of his enormous ivory trumpets ; the other is affected only by the mournful languishing tone of a hollow reed ; he listens with delight to one of his bards, beating time with a hollow bamboo, filled with grains of maize, or scraping with a stick on the jaw bone of a mule, the only instrument possessed by the inhabitants of the Cordillera. Their tastes. 34G TRAVELS IN THE their diversions, are as calm as the air they breathe. In proportion as we remove from the heights, the appearance of nature and of the inhabitants changes. The banks of the river are generally burnt up by a sultry heat ; we observe other ha- bits, another mode of life, and often regret the mildness of the shepherds, and the politeness of the Indian farmers, when comparing it with the rude and violent character of the coasters and the fishermen. The people of the plains of the Oronooko, and the Apure, present an infinite variety of colours. Their character is lively and passionate. If in the town this vivacity degenerates into rudeness, in the plains it becomes boldness and courage. The free negro, or the mulattoe, in the maritime pro- vinces, if he be not a sailor, is a workman. Those of the plains return to the natural taste of all the Africans, and very different from all the In- dians of the mountains, they are fond of riding on horseback, hunting and war. In fact, the In- dians of the Cordilleras love the peaceful labours of agriculture, are attached to their huts, pa- tiently support fatigue, and fear danger. The inhabitant of the plain eagerly seeks it ; to hunt the jaguar, to tame a fiery courser, to catch a bull with a noose : these are his sports and exercises. As bold when they make war as when they attack the bulls in the woods, these people often employ. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 347 to catch them, a noose of leather, whicli they throw with such address, tluit whatever it reacliea is taken and killed. In the pampas of Buenos Ayres a similar race of men fix iron balls to the end of the thongs, a terrible weapon, which seldom misses its object. Nothing stops them in their excursions and their enterprises. Mounted on their horses, they capture, even in the water, fleets which suppose themselves secure from their attacks. It was thus that Pais destroyed that of the Spaniards on the Oronooko. These new Arabs naturally despise the indo- lent and mild people of the Cordilleras. Civiliza- tion appears to them to be a weakness, which they designate by all the diminutives of the Spanish language. The inhabitants of the Andes are, in their eyes, not brave and hardy men, but hluncjuillos, little whites. The Llanaros, or inhabitants of the plain, are divided like all the people of the tierras calientes, into the children of 2 uropeansand Indian women, and those of negroes and Indians. Among them we still find tribes of Indians, whose savage habits have not been changed in any degree ; and who, since the destruction of the missions, will not lose them, except by entering into the families of the new inhabitants of the plains. The Indios bravos (savage Indians) have neither the mildness of those called rtducidos ; nor the courageous, though not ferocious bold- 348 TRAVELS IN THE ness of the Zambos, who occupy their territory. They are unacquainted with any other means of combatting' their enemies then by surprise ; and when they fall into their hands they eat them. The want of food, which these people naturally experienced when they first came into these vast countries, was probably the origin of this horrible custom. The number of savage Indians in Colombia is considerable ; and though ancient and modern geographers have included them in the Spanish possessions, they have always enjoyed a complete independence which Spain left them, or which they acquire by concealing themselves in inacces- sible places. Perhaps if Spain had been able to have conquered all America, in the first century after the discovery, they would have been sub- jected to its laws ; but a hundred years afterwards the Spaniards thought only of enjoying, and the conquest of a few barbarians offered no temptation. Thus the Guajires who live between Santa-Martha and Rio-Hacha ; the Indians of the Darien and of San-Blas * ; the Andaquis to the south of Ti- mana, and the numerous wandering tribes from the banks of the Amazons to those of the Apure lived in peace, so long as they did not act off*en- sively. It is long since they have disturbed the re- pose of their civilized neighbours, who, on their * They all speak English. UKPUBLIC OK C(»LO>lBIA. ,'il*) side, do not interfere with tliein. By degrees the co- lonists advance and make tiicni retire ; bnt wives are no longer to be obtained among tliem. Tlie jealousy of tiie men iias contrived to inspire the women with a violent antipathy for the whites, whose first invasions have not been forgotten. The system of repartimientos prevents this inconve- nience ; by reducing the Indians to the state of vassals, they were made to consider it as an honour to enter the families of their masters. These unions have given birth to a peaceful, agri- cultural, and industrious population in places, which before this measure, rendered necessary by circumstances, had been stained with the blood of human sacrifices. The independence which all these savages, whether mulattoes, negroes, or Indians, enjoy, and the nature of the country in which they live, should make the chiefs of the government give up the idea of again transporting the camel into America, and they should the less regret that the first attempt of this kind was counteracted by the civil war ; in fact, if this attempt had succeeded, it is very probable that the black and almost savage inhabitants of the plains, provided with some bananas, deriving an intoxicating and never- failing beverage from the trunks of the palms, would not have consented to have remained in fixed abodes. Even since the beginning of the war a great number of the Llaneros have deserted 350 TRAVRLS IN THE them ; already they look with contempt on the frozen summit of the Andes, and defying- the timid and mild inhabitants of those mountains, they seem to await them in the plains, where, perishing with heat and thirst, they will fall an easy prey. These hypotheses are not without foundation. The inhabitant of the burning- plain of America, amidst the oppression of the heat, the plague of the insects, and the danger of the wild beasts, has acquired a degree of bravery to which the moun- taineers are strangers. The mild temperature which the Indian half whites breathe in their val- lies has given them a delicate constitution, which makes them as sensible as the European to the heat of the plain. They rarely escape the fever, and often fall victims to it ; so that the new people of Bedouins, who are supposed to be spread in the plains, possessing every thing fa- vourable to a wandering life, the camel, the horse, large flocks, and the banan would, perhaps, renew against Santa- F^ de Bogota, Caracas, and in general against all the towns, the incur- sions to which they might be invited by the hope of pillage. Perhaps the roads of Venezuela, in- fested by their robberies, will not become safe again till peace be purchased, as is done on the road to Mecca. An immense continent, where it was easy to find a secure retreat, obliged the Spaniards to RKI'L'BLIC OK COLUMIJIA. lij I adopt a system of excessive indulgence and mild- ness towards tlieir slaves. However, if tli*^y had obviated the danger of desertion, they had not avoided that of the neglect of agriculture, so that every thing languished, and the productions of the soil in the continent were very inferior to those of the Antilles. Ttiough the number of slaves was considerable, it decreased every year by the custom of the Spaniards, who, when dying, enfranchised them. The new government imbioingthe principles of the European peninsula, has shewn itself very favourable to the slaves, and by a law lately passed, in forty years there will be none re- maining in the republic. The greatest number of negroes is found in the maritime provinces. Those of Antioquia, the Magdalena, of Cauca, of (iuayaquil, and of Choco, contain a great number ; they have in- creased there in such a manner that the wliites are noticed as in our colonies. In the eastern branch of the Cordilleras there are none but whites and Indians. In all the families of the people, whatever be their origin or colour, they are scarcely ever troubled with domestic discord ; if there is but little cordiality among the number which com- pose it, on the other hand there is a mutual at- tention and respect which give pleasure. Tlie father of the family is an object of veneration ; 352 TRAVELS IN THE his children give him the title of su merccd, your grace, and come morning and evening to pay him their respect, and to ask his blessing on their knees. The kind hospitality which the poorest inha- bitants of Colombia, formerly took delight in shewing is now a subject of chagrin and uneasi- ness to them ; formerly they offered it, now in many places they will not grant it, unless threat- ened by the alcaid ; deceived, plundered by fe- rocious soldiers, every traveller appears to them a tyrant, coming to occupy their house by force. Formerly hospitality was gratuitous, now it is paid for, at least a compensation must be given to the host. Thus the disasters of war, and acts of injustice, have given rise to feelings of self in- terest, and there is reason to suppose that in a few years it will be carried to excess. The following is the statement of the popula- tion of New Grenada : Whites 250,000 Mestizoes of whites and Indians. . 400,000 Indians 450,000 Mulattoes 550,000 Free negroes and slaves 94,600 1,744,600 Venezuela is supposed to contain 900,000 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom are people of colour ; so that, in a population of 2,644,600 RI^PUBLrC OF COLOMBIA. 35.'^ iiulividiuils, the nuinbcr of whites is very incon-- sitlerable. But the Indian mestizoes, who, to pre- tend to the title of whites^ require only lialf a century to make theii- orig^in forgotten, will gi-eatly augment this cast, in which they natu- rally enter by their colour; an inestimable advan- tage to the whites, as the mestizoes increase with a prodigious rapidity, and the war does not appear to have diminished their numbers. It should seem that, in revolutions, the po- pulation is hidden like money, and, in fact, wjjen peace succeeds the dangers of war, it reappears in a wonderful manner; this will be the case in Colom- bia, the number of whose inhabitants, after a few years repose, will increase, as is already proved, by the cultivation of waste lands, which has begun in many places. All the casts, composing the population of Colombia, have learnt, by the revolution and by the agents from St. Domingo, to set a value on themselves. They all labour in concert to- wards the expulsion of foreigners, each with a view of serving his own colour. The Indians alone, indiiferent to the choice of their masters, regret the kindness shown them by the Spaniards, who suffered them to enjoy a real indej)endence in their villages, called by the name of purh/os dt Indios. They are not much pleased with an eqna- lity which assiniilates them with the negroes, to- wards whom they feel a strong antipathy. 2 a 354 TRAVELS IN THE The stiongest bond of union between all these races, which hinders them from coming to a rupture with each other, is religion. Every where it preaches concord among the people, that he unity of divine worship may be preserved, every where its word is listened to with respect ; all casts, and all classes, submit to its decrees, and their hatred is appeased at its command. The climate, the prudence of the clergy, the education which the people have received from the Spaniards, and which, during three cen- turies, has not heen affected by any contact of foreigners, have inspired all the Colombians with a profound respect for all the exercises of religion ; accordingly, the fairest title which a Frenchman has in their eyes, is that of most christian, and if they envy our nation in any thing, it is the having given so many saints to the church. The authority of the parish priests is abso- lute ; the respect shewn them is such, that nobody would, on any account, withhold a part of the first fruits which are paid to the priest. In other respects, it is pleasing to find, in the midst of this half-savage population, prudent men, whose as- cendancy is able to make them submissive to the laws, and to counteract the tyranny of the muni- cipal authorities. The ecclesiastics are reproach- ed with hating the heretics, and with treating the Indians with cruelty : but abuses are always found, wherever man exists. RKPURLIC OF COLOMBIA. 355 NotwithstJindiiiollie in-e^nihirities whicli are laid ti) tlie cluiri^re of the priests, the greatest de- corum prevails in the churches : the devotion of the faithful is no less striking : genutlcxion, pros- tration of soul, nothing is too niucli for their fer- vent piety. Their eyes fixed on the officiating priest, are never drawn aside by an inattentive reading of the holy book ; all the prayers are known by heart, and punctually recited. The women, as in Spain, can only sit down on the ground ; contrary to the precept of St. Paul, they must all have their heads uncovered. W ith the exception of holidays, vespers are never said. A person is not allowed to marry till he has taken an oath that he is not a freemason, and submitted to a retreat and penitence for a lon<>-er or shorter period. These are not the only religious practices which are different from ours. At funerals, the body is carried uncovered and richly dresse I of his iiulusti'v anil tlie developer of its progress, is in the Coloinbians only a mean, selfish sentiment, like that of a miser ; it is a love for accnmulating and scraping- together, not the wish for wealth in order to spend and enjoy it wliich produces a great commercial activity in a nation. The Co- lombians have only the spirit of retail dealers. If in commercial affairs they endeavour to conceal, under the appearance of disinterested coolness, every application of well calculated self-interest, when they treat of public affairs, they are content with a sujile and protestations, the insincerity of which is more easily penetrated than they imagine. They are not backward in uttering their political sentiments, but the mea- sures they take are not known till they are exe- cuted ; the more sinister they are the less they transpire. To every question you ask, they answer in the aflSrmative ; whatever favour you solicit is never refused, but the promise is forgotten as soon as given. With the word diligaitia (dili- gence) always in their mouth, they never stir. Nevertheless they offer of their own accord to act ; every thing is a su disposicion (at your disposal : they are always ready, para scrvir a usled (to serve you), when you enquire after their health. It is an error to believe them, and those who depend upon their good offices, will generally find them- selves deceived. 362 TRAVELS IN THE Whatever is said to them, their features are never observed to change. To hear them, their modesty seems excessive, for they place America far below Europe in knowledge and talents. All these protestations are insincere, and they are never more flattered than when thev are told that nothing is done in Europe better than among them.* They are passionately fond of law suits, and detest quarrels. Provided therefore their wives, in the hot countries, suffer them to lie at their ease in their hammocks, rocking themselves continually while smoking their cigars, constant peace reigns in the house; the more so, as not- withstanding their apparent calmness, they have all the ardour of a temperament as hot as the climate which develops it. Indifference and in- dulgence insure in the mountains the tranquillity of families. Excepting the love of play, and of trifling oc- cupations, which they carry to excess, their mode of life seems regular and steady. Foreigners whose minds are filled with the pompous descriptions, which have been published in Europe, of the great number and the riches of the gold mines of New Grenada, think only of operations of this kind, while the inhabitants of the country, looking upon gold as merely a coni- * See note XV. HKPUBLIC OF COLOINIBIA. 3().'i mon metal, think only of discovering ciiiunond mines. The generality of the Colombians are des- titute of knowledge and agreeable talents*. Some of them however understand French, admire our literature and prefer it to that of other nations : the priests in particular are delighted with our sacred writers.-f~ In all ranks we find a studied politeness and affability, which, in some persons, are even carried to excess. The superior classes possess also the virtue of hospitality which has long since been banished from Europe. Yet it does not every where bear that character of frankness, which renders it so amiable in the eyes of travellers. In general they pay attention to strangers according to their dress ; it procures them respect, or exposes them to familiarity, and if their stay is protracted, it ends in disgust, and oftentimes an- tipathy. It is a rule good to be observed, to avoid as much as possible, returning to a house where you have lodged. It is necessary however to assign a motive for this conduct ; but vvhatever it be, they will thank you for it. In fact, if you return to the house, you are looked upon as a man who seeks to become master there, and who thinks he has * New Grenada however has produced men of extraor- dinary talents ; we must place in the first rank Vasequcs, the painter, and the three botanists Mutis, Caldas, and Zea. j- See note XVI. 364 TRAVELS IN THE a right to do so, especially if you have acted generously towards your host, for they are afraid that you might assume airs and an authority much dreaded by the restless jealousy of the in- habitants. Respect for parents, the principle of society, is general among the Colombians, and the titles of sir and madam, are the only ones which chil- dren give their parents. Lying, jealousy, and ingratitude, are the prevailing vices; every people has its own. To these may be added revenge, if we put any faith in the popular saying: " It is for God to pardon ; man, never." They often come to a stranger with articles of silver plate or pieces of stuff, to borrow mo- ney of him on this security ; he should positively refuse to lend any, because it is not the debtor but the creditor who contracts the obligation ; in fact, if he has the boldness to ask for his money back, he exposes himself at least to be called a tyranno (tyrant.) He must above all resist those letters in which, amidst phrases expressing the most ardent love, the writer requests an ounce of gold for a few days, adroitly insinuating that she will come herself and return it. In general he never sees either the money or the borrower. Whether you give or lend, you will be an- swered by the expression so pleasing to the ear of a benefactor, but so alarmin**- to that of a lender ; RRPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 'M)o Dios se lo pa<>;ii(, may God reward you ; in tact it is often from his fi^oodness tliat you must ex- pect the payment of debts, which have been con- tracted, not so much with men as with hu- manity. One cannot liowevei* help being sur- prised at seeing all services acknowledged, by the people of the country, by this trite phrase. If they cross over a bridge, or remain several days in a house, they return thanks and go away with- out paying. This is Avithout doubt the reason of the refusals which are met with in many places ; they are expressed with a delicacy which causes them to be borne without anger, though tliey are not always well founded ; for the people who answer when they are asked a service : Somos pobres (we are poor), are not always so. The stranger must, above all things, avoid every thing that may awaken jealousy, an eternal source of liatrcd ; that jealousy which the Spa- niards are supposed to cherish towards their women is not meant here ; very few Americans feel it. Talent, sense, knowledge must be shewn by the stranger as little as possible ; he cannot display any degree of luxury unless he join with it inexhaustible liberality ; he must, above all, never praise the merits of one man in the pre- sence of another ; it would be very misplaced in the presence of a poor hidalgo to speak of the riches of an opulent neighbour. It is for this 3(3() TRAVELS IN THE reason that the English are reproached with speak- ing too much of their own country ; which gives them the air of intending to make insulting comparisons between the poverty of Colombia, and the magnificence of Great Britain. In every case it must not be forgotten, that the least pre- ference shewn, and the most moderate elo- gium are affronts which jealousy, the basis of the national character, never forgives. It must also be remembered that many Colombians lament to see their country exposed by the revolution, to become the prey of clever foreigners.* That delicacy which may be called the es- sence of probity, is far from being found among the Americans. In a great number of them, the traces of recent slavery are found, which autho- rise cunning and often bad faith to acquire what cannot be obtained from the generosity and the justice of the master. Another equally well founded reproach that may be made against then), is that they seldom feel the impulse of gratitude. They receive benefits with joy, but soon forget the hand which bestowed * With the best intentions, it is not always possible to satisfy every body ; a Colombian seldom stops at dislike, he is immediately actuated by antipathy, the consequences of which are sometimes fatal ; thus as soon as you hear : Such a man, Se puso bravo, be*on your guard : Such a woman, is Brava, do not go abroad. This expression does not mean that the individual is brave, courageous, valiant or good, but that he is in a passion ; thus a tiger is bravo, and a hen brava. UK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 3()7 tliein. They think too that they have been ex- torted by importunity, and dispense themselves from recollecting; tiiem. To ask with importunity, to receive joyfully, and forget quickly, are faults common to all Colornbians. If their fathers were g-uilty of injustice, they are of ingratitude. In their j)leasures, their feasts and their ce- remonies they behave without dignity. All de- generates into a familiarity which puts one in mind of an equality certainly not that of proud republicans. On the other hand it produces in their intercourse with strangers, an amenity which is very pleasing. When they have seen a person once, they salute him ; when they have spoken to him, they shake hands with him, and affectionately call him mi ami^o, my friend ; and if he bear the same name, they give him the title of locaijo (name- sake.) These salutations and kind expressions, must be answered with civilities, and seldom with confidence ; whatever you say is repeated ; there is no secret which does not expose you to some vexations. A stranger besides must never indulge in those effusions of the heart, in that rage for giving useful advice, which a remnant of Spanish pride considers as an aifront. The less chaste conversation is, the more it pleases ; but the licence must be in the thought rather than in the expression, because the latter 368 TRAVELS IN THE leads to some punishment from the tribunal of penance, which is always dreaded. Some persons, even ecclesiastics, manifest extreme incredulity, while they shew the most absolute respect for the external ceremonies of religion. It is permitted to read the Gneire des Dieux, and the CEuvres de Bou/angcr, but not to mrss a mass or a sermon ; for this reason, the Colombians always attend them.* When speaking of the energy and moral force of the inhabitants of the hot countries, the developement of the mental faculties was not meant. The burning heat of the torrid zone, and particularly the swarms of insects which afflict the countries comprehended in it, weaken and distract too much the attention of the mind, for it to pursue uninterruptedly those me- ditations which are the parents of great dis- coveries. The countries scorched by the tro- pical sun, are the native land of courage, lively gaiety, address and imitation ; such are the tierras calienfes. Those which receive from beneficent nature a mild warmth, are the seat of the arts, taste and pensive melancholy ; such are the Andes. Hitherto the Colombians have been destitute of that enterprising energy of the Russian govern- ment, or of the people of the United States, * The men wear a golden cross on their breast, and the women a scapulary. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 369 which, has raised those two countries in a few years, to the first rank among- civilized nations. The government is not yet powerful enough to rouse the inhabitants from their Asiatic indo- lence, and the people are not sufficiently fond of foreigners, to invite them with cordiality, and to favour them by all possible means. However, if they do not like them, they take a pride in treating them well. They will transact business with a north American, but will prefer living with a Spanish American, because, if his man- ners are less frank, they are at least more pleas- ing. The defects and the vices of the Colom- bians are common to all nations who have not yet attained the same degree of civilisation which we have. With the exception of the political cri- mes they have committed by way of reprisal, we have no others to lay to their charge. 2 B 370 TRAVELS IN THE CHAPTER XXI. Agriculture — Industry — Reflexions on the Banian tree — Mines— Coins- Salt-works — Commerce— Ex portations — Importations. Agriculture, which is followed with considera- ble activity, is so discouraged by the want of markets that the greatest part of the land remains uncultivated. The plough is introduced wnth effect in the plains of the cold lands ; in the warm vallies only the hoe is employed. Though estimated much higher, it is not thought that the produce of the lands yields above three per cent. A small number of lands only form an exception, and this from a peculiar circumstance : namely, that containing immense pastures, they rear much cattle, the sale of which brings in a considerable revenue. The fertility of the soil varies according to the elevation of the country. There are no ge- neral data on the value of the lands. Those which are already cultivated are, of course, more valuable, or worth more than those which are uncultivated ; thev are likewise the best. Ne- REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 371 vei'theless, it is thought that a piece of land fit for the growth of wlieat, and the breeding of large cattle, whicli is thirty cords in length, and fifteen in breadth, would be worth in the cold region 1000 piastres, and in the warm one 200 piastres. A cord is equal to 78 varas, and a vara to 37 Castilian inches. A corn estate, which, at the same time serves for the pasture of sheep, is valued in the cold parts at 500 piastres, in the hot regions at 100 piastres, when it is 12 cords long and 6 broad. Formerly, a considerable estate has been sold for a mule completely harnessed. Bargains nearly similar are still made ; in a few years all will be changed. The richest farms are those in the neighbour- hood of the towns, particularly Bogota. The buildings are well constructed, and the barns appear to be tolerably well stocked : they miglit be much more so if less land were employed as pasturage. On the other hand, if the extent of the pastures were diminished, what would be- come of the troops of mules and horses, without which there could be no communication ? The ground is so rough and ditTicult tliat great num- ber of beasts of burden are necessary for the con- veyance of a few goods. From Bogota to 8oga- moso, this inconvenience might be remedied by opening roads fit for wheeled carriages. Though cattle are very profitable, especially 2 B 2 372 TRAVELS IN THE wlien they are procured from the plains, the in- habitants have not imitated the prudent conduct of the Jesuits, who, to prevent the animals from suffering- by the too sudden transition from the banks of the Meta to those of Bogota, had built, at intervals, farms, where they rested several days ; thus accustoming them by degrees to a climate so different from their own, and avoid- ing- the enormous losses which occur every year, and which are caused in a great measure, either by the cold, or by the shock of the stones of the high lands, which soon break the tender horns of the oxen of the plains. Horses are, of all the animals which traverse the paramos, the least liable to accidents. The cultivation of colonial articles is less perfect than that which we have called European cultivation ; though richer in its produce, it is much less profitable from the indolence of the planter. It is lamentable to see the negligence with which cotton, sugar, and cocoa are culti- vated ; the indifference with which coffee, indigo, and the nopal loaded with the cochineal insect, are suffered to grow without any care being bestowed on them. Happy in the abundance which he enjoys without labour, the planter contents him- self with hoeing round the foot of the banians, or cutting the sugar cane, with the juice of which he intoxicates himself. The present government of Colombia having RKPUBLIC OF COLOMHFA. 373 felt tiie necessity of favouring agriculture by every possible means, bad fixed, by a decree of tbe llth of October, 1821, a very moderate price on the sale of waste lands. It sold them at tbe rate of 2 piastres tbe fanega near tbe coast, and one piastre in the interior. The fanega of ground has been fixed at 100 square varas, or 20 estadales ; consequently, at 400 square estadales. Every estadale contains 4 square varas. This liberality of the Colombian government has lately received fresh extension. The last congress has placed at the disposal of the go- vernment 2,000,000 of fanegas of land, to be dis- tributed gratuitously among foreign families who wish to establish themselves in the country, on condition that they shall clear them the same year in which they obtained the grant. Industry, whose productions here resemble tliose of Africa, being still fettered in the tram- mels of custom will never depart from the pre- sent course so long as foreign competition shall check the progress it might make. Besides, are manufactures so necessary in a country already sufficiently rich by its agricultural produce and its mines : If it added to the riches of its soil, per- fection in manufactures, its connexion with Eu- rope would cease. Would it then be necessary for the interest of the old world to establish it by force of arms ? 374 TRAVELS IN THE What will always oppose the prosperity of agriculture among the South Americans, when they have become independent, is the cultivation of the banian ; useful in temperate climates, be- cause it may contribute to the development of industry, by devoting to manufactures those arms which, in ruder countries, must be left for agri- culture, it is fatal in sultry climates where an excessive heat invites repose, by favouring the apathy natural to the inhabitants of the tropics. In the plains of America, the banian must produce the same effects as the date has caused in Africa ; it will make Bedouins in the west, as the latter has perpetuated those of the east. Can we help believing this, when we see the abundance of the fruits of this plant, the rapidity of its growth, and the facility of its cultivation? Wherever man is not obliged to cultivate the earth for his support, he becomes a nomade ; on the other hand, wherever he has imposed upon himself the necessity of living upon sorgho, maize, rice, and other grain, whatever be the abundance of the harvest, he becomes attached to his field, he has a permanent abode. In those regions, on the other hand, where the milk of the cocoa, the cabbage of a palm, the fruit of a date, the gum of a mimosa, or the fruit of a fig, are sufliicient to supply his table, he leads a wandering life, and has no attachment to any particular place. Why should he fix himself UK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 375 to any spot, wlien nature has every where j)rovi(led foi- liis subsistence ? He, therefore roams inces- santly; from time to time he sits down, rests him- self, takes some fruit from his leather bag, eats, goes to sleep, strikes his tent^, and transports himself elsewhere. If the produce of the agriculture and manu- facturiss of the Colombians are uninteresting to Europe, and give it no reason to fear a compe- tition to its disadvantage, those of the mines may become in}portant when they sliall be worked by more skilful hands. It will then be very difficult for Europeans to sell to the Colom- bians copper, iron, and lead, when the latter shall extract these in sufficient quantity from the mountains of Opon, Truxillo, Moniquira, and Guanacas ;* when the manner of working the gold and silver mines of Mariquita is improved, their produce will be tripled ; a result of which the country has the more need, because, dealing with only one people, the English, who will hardly receive any goods, they have no means of paying them but with the precious metals, before extracted from the earth bv the Sp.aniards. Thev are transferred, therefore, to Jamaica, and with such rapidity, that in a short time in the land of gold not a grain will be found. , The mines of Choco and Popayan are still * See note XVII. 376 TRAVELS IN THE worked, but in an imperfect manner; the ne- groes, every moment ready to become soldiers, leave the finest establishments to fall off. A mine which employs 60 slaves, and produces 20 pounds of gold annually, is considered a good estate. Before the revolution of South America, the mints of New Grenada produced : Santa-F^. Popayan. Piastres. 1801 1,506,356 962,748 1802 1,240,476 962,748 1803 1,192,791 965,686 1804 1,274,576 663,696 5,214,199* 3,554,878 The quantity of gold which the English draw from the country, and which is still considerable, notwithstanding the diminution of the produce of the mines, should not excite surprise, when we recollect that a great part of it is derived from the melting of trinkets and of plate, which every one disposes of,-^ * Vide note XVIII. f There is a great deal of base money in the country ; a large proportion of the small coin called pesetas are counter- feit ; it is to be observed that they come from Jamaica and Cura9ao. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 377 Several provinces produce ^okl. Hitherto this metal has been discovered in the greatest quantity in the western Cordillera, and chiefly near tlie coasts of the Pacific ; Santa-F^, how- ever, receives a considerable quantity from Pam- pluna and Giron ; the last is the most esteemed, and as much as twenty reals the castillan are paid for it. The pi-ovince of Antioquia is full of it ; its mines were formerly very productive ; the gold was in demand, and though of a low degree of fineness, (18 carats) produced sixteen reals the castillan. In the province of Antioquia a great quan- tity of a very low standard is collected, it is called oro bajo, and fetches only from three to six reals per castillan. It has been observed that gold is usually found at a moderate elevation ; Pampluna, however, borders on the region of the paramos ; and Santa- Rosa, in the province of Antioquia, is 1324 toises above the level of the sea. In general the mines of Choco and Barbacoas are esteemed the richest ; those of the Cauca, though abundant, are much less so ; it seems that in Choco the great quantity of gold injures its quality. This metal, almost always united with platina, seldom fetches more than twelve reals the castillan. Mines of silver are not less common in all these countries. Those of Mariquita are the most celebrated; many other places contain them. 378 TRAVELS IN THE such as Pampluna, Leyva, and the country in which the town of la Plata (silver) is situated, which is said to have received its name from the mines discovered there. We have explained the motives which induced Spain to close these mines ; they have ceased with the present govern- ment, and accordingly several Englishmen have already thought of working those of Mariquita ; for foreigners have the same liberty as the natives of possessing and working the mines. Mines of iron, copper, and lead, are very common, only the two latter are worked with any degree of care, the former are absolutely ne- glected. Emerald mines have been opened at Muzos, and a considerable quantity with which the Ma- donas in the churches are still loaded, had been extracted from them, when Spain prohibited working of them to be continued, without any other assignable motive than jealousy. Other precious stones are likewise found, such as corneHans, agates, &c. Pampluna is famous for its quarries of Mica, and Zipaquira for its salt mine *. This mine, like most of those of the same kind, is situated at the foot of a paramo. It has a striking appearance, ITie salt, like an immense rock of crystal, shines with dazzling splendor * See Note XIX. RKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 379 when the rays of the sun come in contact with its prisms. It is very difficult to extract it ; it being only by means of iron crows that some pieces can be loosened. These are immediately thrown into a pool of water which the rain forms at the foot of the mine. The water is conveyed through clay pipes into the manufactories, where it is boiled for a day and a night to evaporate the sul- phureous particles. For this operation they use earthen vessels of the same shape, though of dif- ferent sizes. The largest cost a real ; tliey can be used but once. The miners are generally In- dians, assisted by negroes. Tliis is almost an hereditary occupation among them, since they were the first who opened this valuable mine ; they employ, in the present day, tlie same process as they formerly used, the rudest that can well be imagined. The mine of Zipaquira is not the only one. There are also those of Tauza and Enemocon, situated in a similar soil, and all three inex- haustible ; the salt of Enemocon is the most esteemed. The salt of Zipaquira is usually sold at from six to seven reals the arroba (25 pounds) ; the quantity sold is very inconsiderable. The produce of the mine of Zipaquira, which is badly worked, and the expences of which are enormous, on account of the purchase of the earthen vessels and the wood, which is procured from a 380 TRAVELS IN THE great distance, the surrounding country being- entirely destitute of it, amounts to nearly 150,000 piastres per annum. The expences of manage- ment are not included in this calculation. There are so many salt mines in the country, that when they are opened, this revenue will be less profitable. An Englishman of the name of Thompson, un- der pretence of improving the system of working the mines hitherto pursued in that of Zipaquira, has obtained an exclusive right to it, on engag- ing to pay the government five thousand piastres a month. The inland trade is tolerably active ; though the individual transactions are of not much im- portance, this is made up for by the uninter- rupted course of commerce, for instance, there is none more brisk than the salt trade ; in the antient vice royalty it is a coin as current as money, the value of which being almost inva- riable, serves as a standard in all bargains. There is no exchange more frequent and lu- crative than that of salt for sugar and stuffs. Few mercantile speculations are attempted unless they hold out a profit of a hundred per cent ; this is the only incitement to surmount the fatigues of the roads. Next to salt, cocoa is the most important article of merchandise ; the consunjption of it is as prodigious as the quantity produced. That of REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 381 the Magdalena is in the p^reatest demand ; that of Neyva and Tiinana sells at thirty piastres the load of ten arrobas ; at Antioquia it costs forty piastres, and at Carthagena fifty, on account of the expenses of carriage. Cucuta furnishes a considerable quantity, which is sent to Europe by way of Maracaibo ; that of Guayaquil, which is exported to Peru and Mexico, enriches the merchants of that port. Flour, the price of which at Bogota is ten piastres the load (20 arrobas), is neither in suffi- ciently large quantities, nor of a quality good enough to be sent to the ports of the republic, and to compete with the fine flour of Nortli America, which maybe had there at 10 piastres the barrel. Sugar, though very abundant, is almost entirely consumed in the country itself, as the Spaniards are very fond of it. It may be pre- sumed, however, from the low price of the sugar of Socorro, Guaduas, and the Cauca, that, if the cultivation were more judiciously managed, and the roads better, it would be possible by hav- ing it from tlie provinces of the interior, to ob- tain it cheaper at Panama, Carthagena, and in the other ports, where it is as high as four reals the pound, while in the interior it only costs from five to ten reals the arroba. Coffee being little cultivated and little esteemed by the inhabitants of the interior of the Cordilleras, is at present to be met with only in 382 TRAVELS IN THE the apothecaries' shops ; it is worth as much as two reals a pound, while twenty times as much might be collected in the country as is produced by the whole crops of Jamaica. Tobacco being in universal use among the Spanish Americans, is in general of a good qua- lity ; for, they have endeavoured to perfect the cultivation of this plant from taste rather than profit. The tobacco of the Cauca is the most esteemed ; that of Giron, Ambalema, and Varinas, which is neither so strong nor so rough, is more agreeable to Europeans. The Dutch formerly transported 10,000 quintals of tobacco from Varinas, which they sold under the name of Dutch tobacco. The government has the monopoly of to- bacco : it purchases it of the planter at half a real a pound, and sells it again at two reals. The exportation of this article, were it relieved from the monopoly, would yield four times as much to the state by the duties, for the line of its custom-houses, though badly guarded, is still better than that of the droits reunis. The government has ordered, by a law, that the overplus should be sent to the nearest ports to be sold to foreigners ; notwithstanding this prudent regulation, it is rare to meet with any other tobacco than that from the Havannah and the United States. Cotton, which is ill cultivated, is almost entirely consumed in the country itself, and RliPUHLIC OF COLOMBIA. 383 scarcely suffices to load five or six ships wliicli come to Carthagena or Santa-Martha. In Ca- racas, where the culture of it is more attended to, it is one of the chief articles of exportation. Im- mense fields will, in future, be covered with this valuable article. Quinquina of Loxa, which is brought from Guayaquil, forms one of the most productive branches of commerce in this province. As much as ten thousand loads have been exported in one year. This quantity has of course diminislied, since that from the upper part of the Magdalena has been found to be equal in quality. The quinquina of Loxa will be nmch less in request when that ofPitaion becomes an article of foreign commerce. The dying woods are a principal object of maritime commerce ; they are the only produc- tions which the English take in exchange for their manufactures. The skins of leather, destined to pack up cocoa or to form the beds of the inhabitants, are scarce in the Cordilleras ; though formerly common in Caracas, since fifty thousand were annually ex- ported from the port of La Guayra, the num- ber has considerably decreased daring the war. Besides this, the expences of carriage prodigiously increase the price in several places ; for those purchased at four reals on the Magdalena, cost from twelve to fourteen reals at Carthagena. 384 TRAVELS IN THE The English purchase a great deal of tor- toise-shell in the gulph of Darien, in the isles of San-Blas, and on the coasts of Choco ; it seldom costs above four piastres the pound, and may be had in considerable quantities. Pearls, which Europeans suppose constitute the riches of these countries, produce but a very small revenue ; it is calculated that Panama does not export more than what amounts to about forty thousand piastres annually ; Rio-Ha- cha, perhaps, does not produce so much. Mother of pearl, which, for some years past, has been brought into competition with that of the east, and which was sold at 10 piastres the thousand, is no longer in demand. The pearl fishery, from the Rio-Hacha to King George's Islands in the Pacific, has been granted to Cochrane's nephew to render it more productive ; the English will soon have their bells, divers, and the fishery will doubtless in a short time be wholly in their hands*. Proceeding to a more general view of the ex- portations of Colombia, we shall see that those of the provinces of Venezuela, which formerly amounted to 4,400,000 piastres, have diminished of late years. This is proved by the number of * They will perhaps realise the project of an inhabitant of Guayaquil, fetching divers from the Friendly Islands, and em- ploying them in the pearl fishery of Panama. RK PUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 385 vessels which enter the port of hi Giiayra *. In 18(M), it anionnted to 338, vvliile, in 18'23, there were only '228 ; on the otiier hand, the exporta- tions, which, from this one place, amounted be- fore the revolution to 2,805,225, are at present only 2,296,908. The reader is, of course, aware that these calculations are only approximate. The war, by dispersing the slaves, has ruined many estates ; however, a considerable quantity of cocoa, coffee, indigo, cotton, copper, oxen, mules, and horses, are still exported from Cara- cas. Guayana, which is a dependency of this province, furnishes besides a great deal of capai- va balsam; and Varinas, nearly 10,000 quintals of excellent tobacco -jf. The exportations of New Grenada liave like- wise experienced some cUminution; speaking be- fore of tlie revenues of Colond)ia, 1 estimated them, like those of the province of Venezuela, at 4,000,000 piastres:}:. This sum is rather that of the produce which might easily be drawn from the country, than of the leal exports, since seve- ral authors agree in estimating tiie exports of New Grenada at only 2,500,000 piastres ; how- ever, if we consider the prodigious quantity of * This is known to be tin; most frequented port in tlio province of Venezuela. •j- Native carbonate of soda is employed in tlie ])rcparation of tobacco. + Vide Note X\. 2c 386 TRAVELS IN THE sugar lost by the bad process of the distillation of brandy, the cotton and indigo employed by the manufacturers of the country, who consume a great deal more than is necessary for the manufac- ture of their goods, and, lastly, if we consider the great number of fanegas of cocoa sent to the pro- vinces in the plains, and which is paid for in cattle and other produce, it will be admitted that, on the one hand, the enormous losses caused by the ignorance of the farmers and manufacturers, and on the other, the barter lately introduced be- tween New Grenada and Caracas, and the north- ern provinces of Peru, may, without any fear of exaggeration, allow us to estimate tiie exports of New Grenada in prosperous years at four mil- lions of piastres. Nevertheless, it is thought that three-eighths only of this amount find their way into foreign hands. This state of things will long continue ; it costs Colombia 500,000 piastres annually, or 25,000,000 francs in ten years ; this is the half of the gold and silver in plate and coin which the country possessed before the revolution. If this large sum, which has gone to England to pay the balance of the importations and exportations, has caused much misery in New Grenada, it may, in the sequel, produce great advantages, and in the following manner. Of the four millions of colonial goods which the country produces, three-eighths go to foreigners ; three other eighths REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. .'^87 arc employed to the great detriment of commerce, on account of the deficiency of the (Jolomhians in the knowledg^e of chemistry and mechanics; Uistly, the two remaining eighths go to the inhabitants of the plains. The partiality of the latter for sugar and cocoa, and the eagerness of the inhabi- tants of the Andes to possess cattle will perpe- tuate the commercial relations between these two people ; they will continue, notwithstanding the peace with Spain, and the facility of finding other markets. The millions of piastres of colo- nial productions, which, in consequence of the war, go to the plains, will not be restored to foreign commerce ; but the necessity of sup- plying the demand of Europe, and of restor- ing the balance between the exports and imports, will doubtless give a new stimulus to agricul- ture. In general, I think that tiie exportations of New Grenada have suffered, since the revolution, an annual diminution of 500,000 piastres; while, before, they exceeded tlie imports by an e(iual sum, since, instead of having to make the ba- lance of its commerce in money, Colond)ia re- ceived, on the contrary, large sums from Mexico through the medium of Spain *. * Colonial produce has rison in price in the ports of Co- lombia since the revolution, only because it has become more scarce. This dearness, therefore, has prevented the difference between the imports and exports from l)eing under that which I have stated. 2c2 388 TRAVELS IN THE The English of Jamaica carry on almost the whole of the import trade ; it may amount to eight millions of piastres ; a great part is paid in money, because, besides the reasons 1 have given above, the natives of South America, the only traders who make voyages to Jamaica, where the purchases of manufactures are made, find it much more convenient to conclude their bargains upon credit, or to deal for ready money, than to have the trouble of making up a cargo at home. They do not understand, like the Spaniards, the mode of selling their goods by retail ; Caracas has re- tained the barter trade in preference to New Gre- nada, because more foreigners visit its ports. Guayaquil enjoys the same advantage. HEPUBUC OF COLOMBIA, 389 List of the Merchandise consumed in the republic of Co/nmhia.* ARTICLES PRICE af Jatiiaicu. Fine Cloth 5/"4 blue and black ^ yard do. !jy4 crimson do. do. bfi second blue and black do. do. 3r4 ordinary do. do. FiueCasimirs 3/4 sorted colours do. do. 3/4 second ditto do. Calicoes 5/4 36 ells, Apiece do. 3/4 34 ells, do White Calico b/4 15 ells, do Blue ditto 5A 15 ells, do do. 3A ^ell Dimity white and coloured, ^ cll Nankeen blue, ^ piece do. yellow, broad, do do. do. narrow, do Calmucks 5/4 ^ yard Printed cottons of fine colours, 20 ells, ^ piece do. ordinary do. Ribbons fig', sorted, 24 ells. No. 1 to 3, ^ piece do. Satin No. 1 to 6, do. Silk twisted, crimson, blue- and black ^f' fb- • • • Handkerchiefs of white muslin, ^ dozen do. ordinary do Shawls of painted calico, 5/4 do do. of Cashimir 5y4 4f' shawl Bretagne of cotton, 4 ells, ^ piece do. of thread, (Jells, do Handkerchiefs cotton, coloured, ^^ dozen. . . . Stocking's cotton, fine ^ do'/.en do. ordinary, do Camlets, 26 ells, ^ piece Paper florctte, #" ream Muslin white, 9 ells, ^ piece Cambric white, 9 ells, do Hats (men's) fine Iron in bars, ^ quintal Steel, do Tin (per bac of 300 plates) Brandy, barrel of 80 bottles Wines dry, Spanish, dcmigan of 20 bottles.. .. Wines of Bourdtuiux, the box of 25 bottles Almonds dry, ^*' tpiiiital Raisins dry, ^>' box of 25 lb Shoes, women's, ijp" dozen Velvet, cotton, '^''ell Linen, Irish, ^ piece of 19 ells f. 30 17 7 10 4 55 30 19 25 2 3 7 4 3 5 25 15 2 7 15 15 .'i ()0 25 2 IM 15 m 15 150 25 20 20 25 40 55 00 150 25 25 170 15 '.m; 3 to do. 50 50 50 50 50 50 f. c. 35 18 8 11 5 60 35 20 30 3 3 8 5 4 5 25 50 25 50 2 20 16 (!5 IH IrtO .JO 50 60 75 l(i5 30 15 50 10 12 16 16 3 65 50 25 PRICE at .Siuta-Fc de Bog;ota. 50 50 50 f- c. 65 35 14 16 8 80 60 30 45 4 5 14 II 6 50 8 50 40 25 3 10 35 25 5 90 40 3 30 25 100 30 3 -JO 50 40 35 80 100 140 1.50 350 100 80 300 10 168 Ci 40 50 f. to 70 do. 38 15 17 9 90 65 35 50 5 5 15 12 7 9 45 30 20 20 40 30 6 100 45 3 50 35 30 iiO 40 350 60 50 40 12(1 l.W 170 375 120 90 3.50 50 * The daily fluctuation in the exchange has determined the tnuwiator not to reduce these prices to English money — Tran.slator. 390 TRAVELS IN THE Such are the goods most generally in de- mand, and the sale of which is most certain. An assortment of hardware would yield con- siderable profit: for, in this country they have neither pick-axes, shovels, spades, nor locks ; they receive from abroad files, saws, hammers, &c. &c.* Articles of luxury are still too dear for the inhabitants, whether they have been really ruined by the wars, or whether the loss of a portion of their property, in consequence of the revolution, has induced them to conceal a part of it, in order to save it from the rapacity of the mili- tary or the demands of government. The ladies of the capital do not buy fifty shawls, and twenty pieces of silk in a year; they purchase nothing but false jewels and trinkets. A great proportion of the people clothe themselves in cottons or woollens made in the country. The coin is the same as that which was current in the time of the Spanish government. They have began however to substitute others in their stead ; the silver money coined now is of a lower standard than the old coin. The standard of the gold coin is said not to have been lowered ; copper to the amount of 1,200,000 piastres has just been coined, it is the first money of that metal seen in this country. * Vide note XXII. RKPUIJLIC OF COLOMBIA. 391 All the maritime commerce is carried on in the ports of Guayia, llio-llacha, Santa-Martha, Carthagena, Chagres, Porto-lk'Uo, Panama and Guayaquil. Foreigners do not much frequent San-Tome, Puerto Cabello, Maracaibo, on the Gulf of Mexico, and San-Buenaventura on the Pacific. The English — in appointing consuls at Guay- ra, the port of Venezuela; at Maracaibo, one of the principal issues of the Cordillera ; at Carthagena, the port of the Magdalena; at Panama, the key of the Pacific — have therefore taken the niost judi- cious course ; it is surprising they have not sent any to San Tome and Guayaquil. Some French vessels, a pretty considerable number of North Americans with cargoes of flower, salt fish, and deals, enter into comi)etItion with the English ; the vessels of the latter, after having landed the merchandize they bring, re- turn with balast, but carrying away the gold and silver, the spoils of America.* The fear of pirates, who are numerous in the Archipelagos along the coast of America, from Darien to the Rio-I3ravo, the infrequent com^ munication between the several provinces, the scarcity of produce, and tlie facility which the English ships afford, prevent the coasting trade between the ports on tiie gulf of Mexico ; it is * Vide note XX 11. 392 TRAVELS IN THE carried on with activity only on the Pacific, and even there not by the Colombians. Ships from Peru laden with onions, garlick, scallions, and straw hats go to Panama, where they take in return English goods which they convey to their own country. Without this assistance in the Pacific, without that of the English in the gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, would it be possible to carry on an intercourse with the departments in canoes, which are in general tlie only vessels the Colombians possess ? RKPUHLIC OF COLOMUIA. 393 CHAPTER XXII. Communication by land and water — Commercial laws. The impediments to the internal communications are mucli greater. By land they are obstructed by precipices, swamps and dangers of every des- cription ; the more important the roads are, the worse is their condition, because, though con- stantly frequented, they are never repaired. Thus the most disagreeable are those which lead to the capital, and those from the Cauca to the Paci- fic, and from Panama to Cruces. The expenses of carriage are for this rea- son, triple what they ought to be, so that these charges may be estimated at thirty-five per cent upon the goods sent from Carthagena to Bogota. They are counterbalanced, it is true, by the diffe- rence of measure, which is forty per cent in our favour and eight per cent for the English, when they sell according to the invoice price, because the same price is asked for the vara, as for the French ell, or for the yard. Let the reader conceive roads, marked out by the rains, opened by earthquakes, hollowed out by torrents ; the only mode of travelling in 394 TRAVELS IN THE them is on mules, and in some places on oxen, whose firm tread enables them to gel out of the deep marshes where they sink at every step ; in some parts even this animal is useless, and then recourse must be had to men, on whose backs you may travel at a small expence, not- withstanding- the horrible sufferings of these poor people. It is thus that you traverse the Quindiu, and the Cordilleras which separate the Cauca from the Pacific. All the royal roads have been cleared of the trees which obstruct the passage. For this im- portant service we are indebted to Spain ; it does not remedy a thousand other inconveniences of which we will give an idea. In some places the mountains are so steep, that the most ingenious method which has oc- curred to facilitate the rapid descent, has been to make the road in a zig zag, and in several parts to cut steps which form a staircase as narrow and steep as some in those of our steeples ; yet they must be descended on horseback. At every step you meet with vallies, and in every valley, torrents. The communication be- tween the two banks is formed by bridges made of two trees, across which are thrown fascines co- vered with a slight layer of earth. This rude work trembles and seems ready to sink, there is no rail, and, by a singular coincidence, none of these bridges are more than four feet wide. If HKPUBLIC OF COLOMIUA. 395 one of the rotten supports of these aerial bridges were to break under the horse's feet, the animal, in its struggles, would drag the rider into the abyss below, where he would perish on the pointed roeks. Yet such is the security arising from haliit, that people pass over these frail bridges by night as well as by day, and without even feeling the least alarm at hearing the roaring of the waters falling from one cascade to another. After passing these bridges we generally find marshy tracts; man endeavours to improve them with trunks of trees, but he generally fails. It is inconceivable that, after twelve years' war, neither of the two parties should have made a military road. In fact, armies led by able chiefs against barbarous countries, either to pene- trate into or to secure the possession of them, leave them as a consolation for the ravages which they have occasioned, roads and bridges which serve the purposes of commerce, to introduce in the sequel intelligence and riches. The wars wliich have taken place in the territory of Colom- bia, having been merely affairs of partizans, the rocks, the thickets of trees, the bad roads, served instead of forts, where the troops placed them- selves in ambush ; besides, soldiers without bag- gage, without a train, havingonly flying artillery, need only foot-paths to travel in ; hence, therefore, it has been thought useless to widen those in Co- lombia. Morillo, however, has very much im- 396 TRAVELS IN THE proved some of them, particularly that whicli goes from Santa-Fe, byway of Cakesa to the Lla- nos, and that from the capital to the Magdalena. Occupied by the affairs of the war, this general neglected many others of the highest importance. For instance, the dangerous navigation of the Magdalena, would have been facilitated by opening to commerce a shorter and safer road by land, between Guarumo and Guaduas. The other made to the east of Bogota, by way of Choachi, would have afforded the means of travelling in three days to the banks of the Meta, whence it would have taken less than thirty days to reach the mouth of the Oronooko. Lastly, the third, rendered more practicable between the capital and the Zulia, would have enabled travellers to follow the road of the Cordillera which is always healthy. The present government has become sensible of part of these advantages, and has, in conse- quence, specified in a licence, granted to a Ger- man, for the establishment of steam boats, that he should make a road from Guaduas to Gua- rumo. This plan is not, however, without diffi- culties, though all the ground belongs to Colonel d'Acosta, who is a friend to the improvements, which would lessen the obstacles ; the difficulty lies in the choice of three paths, which now serve for the purpose of communication, and which will require infinite labour to form a more com- modious road than those which at present exist. UR PUBLIC OF COLDMIJIA. 397 These roads seem less tViglitliil to those who have travelled by water ; however, the inconve- nience experienced on the rivers, arises less IVoHi the sufferings you experience than from the men you have for companions. The principal rivers whicli are navij^able, or which have become so by the use of very light boats, are the Magdalena, the Oronooko, the Zu- lia, the Cauca, the Atrato, the Dagua, which falls into the Pacific, near San-Buenaventura, and the Chagres, which empties itself into the Gulf of Mexico. All these rivers present the same rude appearance, the navigation on them is the same, whence it may be supposed, that the description of the navigation on the Magdalena will answer that of the Oronooko and the Zulia. It is by the Magdalena that the provinces of Neyva, Popayan, Mariquita, Antioquia, Santa- Martha, and Carthagena, communicate with each other. The breadth and depth of the river would allow large vessels to ascend it as far as Nare when the water is low, and as far as Honda in the rainy season. It is doubted whether they could go, as the champans do, as far as Neyva, because the latter employ twenty days from IJonda to that place, and they too are towed. The sand banks which obstruct and confine the river in many places, will doubtless greatly inq)ede the navigation of large vessels, such as steam-boats, as is sufficiently proved by the acci- 398 TRAVELS IN TUK dent that happened at Garapata, to a small boat from Santa-Martha, which was swamped by dash- ing against the trunk of a tree. As for the banks which obstruct the naviga- tion of the Magdalena, it would be necessary, in order to overcome this obstacle, to diminish the great canal of navigation, and to change it into a canal for commerce, for the multiplicity of its arms, fertilizing a great extent of country, ren- ders its bed less deep, and, consequently, the na- vigation more insecure. Thus, at the place where the waters ought to be the most abundant, in consequence of the streams which flow into them from all sides, a prodigious quantity is lost by the drains which conduct them into the interior. Lastly, imitating the care which nature takes to clear the banks of the river, by various means, the axe should be used on its shores, vv^hich are over- grown with trees and verdure, and those trunks and rocks removed which it is often necessary to approach in order to escape the currents. The license granted to the owner of the steam-boats will be useful, and these vessels, when introduced by his care on the Magdalena, will render a voyage upon that river less frightful to a European, by affording him comforts calculated to lighten the fatigues of such a navigation. The establish- ment of steam-boats upon the Magdalena presents great advantages ; they will hasten the period when the commerce and agriculture of the pro- IIKPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 399 vinces of Cordilleras shall be improved by render- ing that river tlie canal by which the rich pro- duce of the bowels of the earth, and those of the soil shall descend towards the Gulf of Mexico, whilst the Oronooko carries those of the plains of Casanare and Guyana, to the Ocean. The only craft employed on the Magdalena, are piraguas and champans. The former are ge- nerally employed by travellers, who are not much incommoded with baggage, and government cou- riers ; they are only trees hollowed out with an axe ; a piragua from sixteen to twenty varas in length costs two hundred piastres ; it will not contain more than twenty loads. Those which are engaged at Barranca, or at Santa- Martha, do not go beyond Monj)ox, and employ three days in ascending from tiie sea- coast to that town ; and more than twenty, to go from thence to Honda. Champans are employed in the conveyance of merchandize ; they are boats of considerable size, about the dimensions of the fruit boats, used on the Seine in autumn ; they are covered in with bamboos, to preserve the cargo from rain ; this roof also serves the bogas as a deck, on whicli they place themselves to pushtlie boat along with their poles. A champan usually carries a hun- dred loads, which, from Monpox to Honda, pay each ten piastres for freight. The crew of a champan, consists of twenty-four bogas, at the 400 TRAVELS IN THE rate of twenty piastres each. In addition to which there is the keep of the men, and the hire of the boat, which is about four piastres a day. It is frequently more than a month before thev reach Honda. These means of transport, are therefore very inconvenient and expensive, both from the time lost in passing the rapids of the Magdalena, and the idleness of the undisciplined bogas. These men should occupy the last place in the classification of the human race. They are a mixture of individuals of every colour, who have retained nothing but the vices of their res- pective casts ; when discontented with their passenger, they sometimes abandon him on the shore, and, flying into the woods, leave him in a state of the most cruel embarrassment. The same boats, and the same men are found on the other rivers : if some of these present a more dangerous navigation than that of the Magdalena, there are others where less risk is run. The Cauca, which traverses the western Cor- dillera, and waters its rich vallies, is only na- vigable as far as Carthagena, where the mountains contract its stream, and fill it with rocks and trunks of trees. If the rocks which obstruct its course lower down, could be surmounted, the importance of the Magdalena would be doubly increased, since it would receive by the Cauca, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 401 its principal tributary, all the agricultural riches, which grow in wonderful abundance, from Popayan as far as Anscrma. The Nare, which now forms the most direct communication between Antioquia and the Magdalena, would no longer be exclusively that of this province and of the river. One of the most important roads is that which leads from Cali to the Pacific, by tiie way of San-Buenaventura ; the route by land is so bad, that, in general, men are employed in carrying the loads ; the river, which is afterwards to be descended, is nothing but a torrent so full of rocks, that life is risked almost every instant ; the piraguas which are used here, are therefore very small, and lightly laden. The Zulia is a magnificent stream, but of inconsiderable length, which flows between Ma- raca'ibo and Cucuta,* whose commerce in cocoa is very great. This river will one day be the ob- ject of the improvements of a firmer and more enlightened gov^ernment ; some Englishmen, al- ready anticipating its advantages^ have solicited permission to establish steam boats upon it ; but their offers have not yet been accepted. The Oronooko, the finest river in Colom- bia, has its banks, like those of the Magdalena, almost desert ; its navigation is likewise in the * These towns arc at a distance from each other of iiint> days' journey. 2 D 402 TRAVELS IN THE hands of rude and ignorant sailors. This river presents the double advantage of having- a wide and deep stream, and of discharging itself into the Atlantic ; this insures it a great superiority over the Magdalena obstructed with rocks, and which besides, discharges its waters into the Gulf of Mexico, so dangerous, both for the tempests which so often rage there, and the corsairs who conceal themselves in the immense archipelago by which it is bounded on the west, of which al- most all the passages are in possession of the English. Who knows even if the Oronooko shall not be one day the only means of communication between the Ocean and the Cordillera ? The English, who let no opportunity slip of establishing tlieir influence, have entreated a li- cence for ten years, in order to establish steam boats upon the Oronooko. The Atrato concludes the list of the most im- portant rivers of Colombia. This river was on the point of depriving Panama of a part of the commerce of the great Ocean. If the govern- ment, less embarrassed, iiad been able to effect the junction of the Atrato and the river San- Juan, it would have procured the country incal- culable riches ; but this public work having been intrusted to a person totally destitute of the necessary ability and information, gradually lan- guished, and was at length abandoned. It was thought in France that Colombia in- RKI'UBLIC OF COU)MIUA. 10.'^ tended opening a canal, to effect the conininni- cation of the two seas by tlie Isthmus of Pana- ma ; but this republic is not sufficiently rich to undertake so expensive and dillicuk an enter- prise. On the other hand the execution of it would be injudicious, as the territory might then be traversed without the necessity of asking per- mission from the government, and perhaps with- out paying it any duty. The English have caused the practibility of this junction to be examined. The result of their observations is unknown ; it is presumed that they are interested in opposing the openin (r of a canal which might hurt their vast Indian establishments. The opinion of the natives is, that it would be easy to dig a canal for the pas- sage of piraguas, but that it would be imj)()ssible to execute one sufficiently large to receive ships of burthen. Such is the exact state of the routes and in- terior means of communication of Colombia. The roads are generally travelled with safety ; it is an observation greatly in favour uf rhe inhabitants, that after so many civil wars, not a rol»l)cr is to be n:et with; travellers are rarely molested. The inns are generally situated in places where there is water and grass ; and often there is nothing else. This is generally the case on the bor- ders of the Magdalena, continually ravaged by the troops ; every where else, fowls", eggs, bananas, and 2 D 2 404 TRAVELS IN THE chicha, are to be procured. An ox's hide, or a mat, is the usual bed, rarely any other ; property is respected, although the doors are without locks or bolts. In what part of Europe could one leave the most valuable effects under no other protection but a bit of cord, and sleep alone, in the midst of forests, surrounded with objects cal- culated to tempt cupidity to the utmost ? The present government has promulgated several laws, which it has thought may encourage the national industry. For example, it has reduced to two and a half per cent the duty to be paid by all foreign merchandize sold in the interior of the country, and to six per cent that which foreigners were to pay, who wished to sell their own goods. If a consignment be made to a mer- chant of the country, the duty is wholly taken off. In every case it is not paid till after the sale of the goods. The duty of anchorage is a half pias- tre per ton. The Colombian ton, like the French, is about twenty quintals.* This duty must be paid at the latest, ten days after the arrival of the vessel in port. The want of warlike stores has caused to be exempted from all duty, the shot, guns, and ammunition brought into the republic, and a diminution of five per cent upon the duties for all merchandize brought by ships laden with arms. Lastly, to favour the progress of the sciences, * About one ton. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 405 they have exempted from all taxation, 1 ", phi- losophical and mathematical instrnments ; geo- graphical maps, printed books, engravings, pic- tures, statues, collections of antiquities, busts and medals. 2°, Agricultural instruments, plants and seeds, machines and instruments used in work- ing gold, silver, platina, mercury, copper, and steel ; those which may be employed in the im- provement of the navigation of rivers, and the cotton and woollen manufactures ; printing pres- ses, gold, silver, and all the precious metals. By other decrees, the introduction of foreign tobaccos has been prohibited, although they were at first allowed upon paying a duty of 50 per cent. The importation of foreign coffee, indigo, sugar and molasses is likewise forbidden, and, on the other hand, the exportation of platina and gold, either in dust or bars. The coasting trade is exclusively reserved to the natives of the country. Foreigners can only convey from one port to another the mer- chandizes they have brought, and whicli arc specified in their bills of lading. The custom house code is reduced to two laws, one called that of exportation, the other of importation : this last was decreed the 2nd of August 182.S ; the following table includes all the details. 406 TRAVELS I> THi: Statement of the Entry Duties. MERCHANDISES. Imported from the Co- lonies on board natio- nal vessels Imported |n,,,orted from Europelf^^^',^^ ^c ortheLnited i^^je^ „„ , States on board foreign l,oard na 10- ^,^^^^,3 « na! vessels Imported from Europe ur tlie United S'aies on board foreign vessels. Irou ia bars. Sheet tiu and copper. Paper. Medicines. Fishing tackle Tar. Pitch. Cables. Cordage Cotton stuffs. Woollen ditto. Muslin ditto. Umbrellas. Hats of Beaver, Cotton, or Silk Wax. Spermaceti Wines. Vinegar. Oil. Gold or Silver watches. Galoons Saddles or side saddles. China, European or Asiatic looking glasses and glasses. Silks. Precious stones Curried leathers. Lace Handkerchiefs. Artificial flowers. Artificial feathers. Mirrors. Perfumes. Essences. Indian Spices. Dried ar preserved fruits Olives. Capers. Men and Women's shoes. Boots. Furniture. Ready made clothes and linen Copper utensils. Bronze. Steel. Tallo*. Flour Salted meat and other eatables. ITl-^cent. 15 #* cent 17i^cent 10 #* cent A 20i#>'ceiit 20 #" cent \ 22i#'ceiit 15 #* cent 25 ^ cent, 17Wcent 20 ^ cent 15^ cent. 22|#'cent 17^#'ccut. 25 W cent 20 W cent. 27|^cent 15 W *^ent. 30 ^ cent 25 ^ cent. REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA. 407 All the merchandizes not included in this law, pay 25 per cent when they come from the colonies in national bottoms, and 17^ per cent when they are brought from Europe or the United States in national ones. When, on the contrary, they come from the colonies in foreign bottoms, they are subject to a duty of 30 per cent, and 25 per cent when they arrive froin Europe or the United States. All merchandizes drawn from Asia, provided they are not from Spanish colonies, p(/f/ a Sojjainoso, has pn\'it qnantitios of Brazi- lian wood; but tlie unfair dealino^s of tho s.ll.-rs liavc lowi-rcd the prices. Abundant pastures in this province promise suftirient food for immense numbers of cattle, if the severity of thi- plaren would permit them fo breed ; for this reason the itdjal)itants are obliged, notwithstandin-; multiplied efforts at l)r(M'din>,', to procure them from the llanos of Casanare, bv ih.- uay of Cucuy, and those of Varinas, by that of San-Christophi>r. Tin' dearness of meat causes a scarcity of tallow, for which vc". 'ta- ble wax is used as a substitute. Horses, mules, sheep and ^-oats are l)re(l ; toierahlv ;;ood marocco leather is prepared from the skins of the last. The mineral riches of Pampluna are little kiioNMi. ira- dition reports that formerly immense quantities of -fold M.n- drawn from the mines of Beta and Montuosa. In fact, traces of great works are still visible. The gold of tlicsi> mines is carried to Giron by the waters which form the Canaverajes. The sand of this river contains gold of 23 carats. There are also silver mines ; this metal has been found at the rate of cifjlit ounces to one quintal of ore. The copper mines are rich ; hut IxMiig always l)a(ll> worked, have enriched the country very little. The soil of the territory on which Pampluna is Imilt, is full of mica ; in several places it is found in large sheets : as in Russia, it is converted into glass for lln' windows; several fancy articles are also manufactured from it. Quartz, feld- spar and granite are every where mot with. Every thini; in fact announces the metallic and mineralogical riches of Pam- pluna ; but little protit is derived from them, as the works are ill conducted. The province of Pampluna does not contain three thou- sand Indians; they inhabit eight villages. The remainder of the population composed of whites and half whites may amoiini to 40,000 souls. They are all agriculturists ; a suiall number only being mechanics. 428 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. A country which has but few things to export cannot be rich, Pampluna would even be very poor, if property were not extremely divided, which diffuses comfort through nume- rous families. The llanos adjoining the valley of Savate- ca, would have been for that country an advantageous opening for its grains in exchange for cattle, if there had been any road to facilitate this communication. This was however easy to be effected, by following the direction of the valley watered by the Chitoya, which, to all appearance, is one of the sources of the Apure. By this means Pampluna could enter into communi- cation with Guyana ; Giron could do so likewise with the dis- tant provinces by the same road, and instead of paying very dearly for the provisions which this town draws from the llanos of Casanare by the saltmine of Chita, it would procure them at a more moderate price from those of Varinas ; this article carries almost all the specie from Giron. Cotton is cultivated in this district, particularly in the pa- rish of Rio-Negro. More than one hundred thousand arrobas* are annually exported for Monpox and Carthagena ; the rest is employed in manufacturing coarse stuffs in the place itself. The Giron tobacco is of a superior quality, and the entre- pot established at Piedecuesta contributes to the comfort of the people ; cocoa, of which considerable quantities are sold, suc- ceeds very well on the banks of the Sogamoso, Surate, and Canaverales. These countries also furnish large quantities of capaiva balsam and some building timber : it is carried to Monpox. Near the parish of Rio-Negro an abundant amber mine has been discovered. If the road were open from Giron to the Magdalena, this place would enjoy very great commercial advantages. In the first place the rocks of the Sogamoso would be avoided, which are the destruction of many boats ; besides which, a vast extent of unknown lands, situated between the Sogamoso and the Canaverales, would be much frequented. * This calculation is evidently exagg'erated. NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 4«9 The navif:;-ation of this last river is far preferable to tlie other, although its waters are too shallow to allow very deeply laden boats to sail up it. This canal is of jjrcat utility to the inhabitants of Rio-Negro, who transport their grains by it much more quickly and cheaply than by Ocana. The district of Giron is like that of I'ampluna, inhabited by a population composed of different races ; very fevr Indians and negro slaves are to be met with. The most flourishing towns of this province are those of St. Joseph and of Uosario de Cucuta, although they want an opening for their productions. Their territory, varied by the vallies watered by the Jachira, the Pampluna, and the Zulia, have some fine cocoa plantations. At Cucuta, agriculture is confided to about a thousand slaves. The Cucuta cocoa, c.tlled Magdalena cocoa, as it is brought down that river, is very much esteemed. The cocoa harvest may be about 80,000 arrobas annually, which, at the price of three piastres per arroba, produces a revenue of 2 to,ooo piastres. If to this be added the produce of coffee and indigo, which is likewise cultivated in the province, the total of the pro- perty of Pampluna may be estimated at one million of piastres.* The greater part of the cocoas of Cucuta descend to Maracai- bo, by the Zulia. The journey by land, as far as the bridge of Caches, in the village of Liinonsito, is six leagues ; a very short distance, but extremely bad, from the indifference of mer- chants, and from their indisposition to unite when called upon • This does not appear very exact. The louutry produces a quaa- tity of coffee and indiiro, much inferior to the cocoa : thus, not withstand- ing the assertion of Sei'ior Caniacho, the revenue Irora coffee and iudipo may be said not to amount even to the half of that arisiou front cocoa. The province of Pampluna has never had a million of piastres in circu- lation. American authors have (generally the fault of exatrccratinp the riches of their country : thus, in an Essay upon the Province of Antio- quia, printed in the Journal cl Semanario del -Vi/cro Rcyno, S.nor Ros- trepo advances that Antioqnia draws annually fn.n. .i-« mines 600,000 eastilians of ffold. Enlightened individuals of that country own, that tin- calculation is far from being exact. 430 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. to advance any money without the prospect of a certain and immediate profit.* A considerable quantity of Cucuta silver passes by San- Christoval into the Varinas. It is expended in the purchase of mules and cattle, of which nearly 10,000 heads are bought annually. Although pasturage is abundant, oxen are not bred in these vallies. The salt comes from the coast, when it cannot be procured from Chita or Zipaquira. The goodness of the soil is not the only cause of the abundance of the cocoa-trees ; the care of the cultivators con- tributes much to it. Instructed by experience, they shadow them with ceibas and erytahrinas; they water them, and surround them with flourishing hedges of citrons, fagaras, and acacias, which, while they defend the estate, present a most enchanting appearance. They would then have only to con- gratulate themselves on the culture of this useful plant, were tbey not obliged to get rid of their cocoas immediately, to save them from the ravages of the tinea falsa. This insect is also equally destructive to the corn and grain of Surata. The town of Salazar de las Palmas has declined in propor- tion as those of the valley of Cucuta have prospered ; some rich parishes, however, Sant-Yago and Cayetano, may be reck- oned among its dependencies : the latter especially has some beautiful cocoa plantations. The town of Salazar de las Palmas owes its name to the great quantity of palms which cover the country in which it is situated. The different kinds found here, are the royal palm fcocos hutyraceaj, which affords wine and butter ; the negro-head-palm fphytelephos macrocarpaj, the fruit of which can be worked like ivory ; the noli, which may be * The merchants of Cucuta will certahily at last abandon Ihe road of Monpox and Carthagena, where numbers of them perish, the victims of the unhealthiness of those burning climates; whilst, in g-oing- to Ma- racaibo, they travel in places, the atmosphere of which is pure and heal- thy j besides, their voyage is not incommoded by those clouds of insects which torment the traveller on the Magdalena. NOTES AND ILIUSTnATIONS. 13 1 called cocos ignaria, from llio cottony stibstaiicn found in its leaves, and which is a good substitute for tinder ; lastly, thr; murappo fcarludovicaj^ which is used in covering houses, and the twigs of which are eaten. Upon the whole, the soil of the province of Pampluna is fertile, but the inhal)itants are so indolent, that almost all the country is a desert; which is generally found to be the case in the more ancient colonies of the kinudom. NOTE II. According to M. de Humboldt, the population of the re- public of Colombia amounts to 2,700,000 souls. Pombo,* who published, in 1811, an Essay upon the Statistics of New (Gre- nada, thus calculates the numbers of the inhabitants in imcIi province : — Guyaquil 50,000 Loxa and Jaen 80,000 Cuenca 200,000 Quixas and Macas 40,000 Quito 500,000 Popayan 320,000 Choco •in, < too Antiquia 1 10,000 Neyva 45,000 Santa-F6 1 r II \TM) N S. 4S^ This ftstiniatt^ appeiirs tlic inor • corri-ct, fri»m tin- r<-. venues of the province of Santa-F^ in the iiioiilh of ()cl()bt>r, (the statement of which was published in the Orticial Gazette, in the month of N<)veml)er of the same year) anioimtini; tu 15,107 piastres. This sum, multiplied hy twelve, fjives 181, 284 piastres, a result which resembles Pombo's in a sin- gular degree. If we afterwards ad„ 10 Hlerlins. 2 F 2 436 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. pensatioi) for the marriage of an uncle with his niece, looo piastres ; a burial, four piastres and a half for the poor, and 200 for the wealthy. NOTE X. The rich mines produce daily at the rate of eight reals for each slave ; those which are only moderately abundant, and these are the most common, only two reals. In Antioquia, the mines are worked by free men, who are called massamorreros. In this province the locality of the mines is not the same as in the lands bordering upon the Pacific ; for, in Antioquia, gold is discovered at 1,430 toises above the level of the sea; the ore is found scattered and separated by long spaces, whilst in Choco, it is only found in a line parallel to the horizon. Restrepo, Geographical Essay 7ipon Netv Grenada. NOTE XI. Many persons who have formed an idea of Colombia, from the events which have taken place there, have no doubt been as- tonished at the wild aspect under which I have described that country ; they may perhaps be offended that I have not em- ployed colours more brilliant in pourtraying a people whose government and laws appear so far superior to the manners and customs I have attributed to them. Their surprise at this ap- parent contradiction will however cease, if they reflect upon the state of barbarism in which Switzerland was buried, when she shook off the yoke of Austria. If the Alps became the thea- tre of a democratic revolution, at a period when theirinhabitants could find no assistance from any of their neighbours, should it be more extraordinary that similar movements have burst forth in the Cordilleras, at a time when so many political wri- tings have been published and translated into all languages ! NOTES AM) I I.LHsru* TIONS, 4S7 an insurrection is no proof of rivili/iitiou, the loast civiliz.'d nations are often the most greedy after liberty. It in w.-ll known that a small number of enlightened men place themselve* at the head of every revolution ; the people are rarely the first instigators of it; they are informed that it has taken place, and the principles which they should adopt, are point.-d out to them at the very moment they are ignorant a change of govern- ment has been effected. Thus we have seen the chiefs of Ame- rican independence, raise the people at the name of Ferdinand VII ; had they dc^clarcd their intentions openly at first, ihey never would have succeeded in carrying them into execution. It was doubtless the better to conceal them, and secure the triumph of the new opinions beyond the possibility of failure, that Bolivar, like an able politician, was not desirous of destroying at one blow the monarchical habits of his fellow citizens. For the orders of Ferdinand and of Charles 111, he substituted those of the Liberators and Bocaya ; afterwards, to reconcile the rich to the abolition of the incorniendas, he pronuilgat.«d in their favour, several decrees in terms not less advantageous than that which was made on the l '2th of September 18 ly, for general Santander, vice-president of the republic ; the prin- cipal articles of which are as follows : Article i. " I grant in full title, and by way of extraordinary recom- pense to F. P. Santander, the house in this city (Bogota) which belonged to the emigrant Vincent C-.rdova, as well as the estate of Ato-Grande, belonging to Pierre Bufanda, in the jurisdiction of Zipaquira." Artici.k II. " It is understood that the said estate of Ato-Grande. made over, by the above article, to general Santander, ceases to be incumbered with a mortgage of i<»,(ioo piastres, in fax our 438 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. of Don Francisco Rodriguez. This debt of an enemy belongs, likewise, to the state, who disposes of it in favour of the new possessor of the estate of Ato-Grande, and makes him a present of it." I had at first thought that the contrast presented by these acts, and the manners and institutions of the people of Colombia, would not appear less worthy of credit than that which is offered by many other nations, a singular mixture of sages and barbarians, learned and ignorant ; for this reason I had abstained from quoting several documents which would have imparted a degree of authenticity to my account ; and con- cluded by fearing that some degree of malevolence might be attributed to me. Were this the case, the efforts which I have always made never to swerve from the truth, would be ill ap- preciated : to render this the more evident, I have determined to make public the account of an American, whose opinion cannot admit of suspicion ;* it will be seen if my opinion of Bo- gota is more severe than that which he has pronounced upon Quito, the first city in the Cordilleras, both for population and extent. " Quito-j- is the most populous town of the viceroyalty of " New Grenada ; without adopting Ulloa's statement, who " makes its inhabitants amount to 60,000, we may estimate " the number to be from 35, to 40,000, almost all Indians or " half-whites. " The greater part of the houses are ill built with bricks " dried in the sun. The roofs are covered with the leaves of " the maguey or chaguarqnero (agave Americana). The in- '♦ terior of the habitations is extremely simple, the saloon for ♦• receiving visitors being the only one which is ornamented : " this is the only room the walls of which are covered with * The travels of Caldas, MSS. 1805. This American, born at Bo- gota, distinguished himself by his taste for botany : he was shot in 1816, by order of the Spanish viceroy. f Quito communicates by the road of Malbucha with the port of Ca- rondelet, upon the Pacific Ocean. NOTES AND I I.LL STIIATI ON S. 4HQ " paper and ill executed paintiiifjs. A few lamps affixod to " the walls, and a chandelier, dependent fntm th." ceilinfj, " serve to li»ht th*; apartnitMit. The flfxtr is covered with " a carpet, the tiianiifartiin? (if the ronntry ; some writin;;^ " tables, and sofas covered witii silk, complete tlie furniture ; " the bed forms the principal object ; it is in an alrnve, the " frame-work of which is sculptured, richly gilt, and " hung with damask or velvet ; the bedstead is pilt, the sheets " are of beautiful Holland cloth, and trimmed with lace ; the " counterpane is of muslin ; during the day the curtains are " undrawn, that the bed may be seen, for it is the principal *' object of the care and expense of the Quitonians, " There is a hall at the entrance of the Imuses, hiil " it is very dirty, being never cleaned ; the yards " serve for stables ; the clover for the horses [mrdirairo " sativa), is upon the stair-case; the corridors, the anti- " chambers, the interior of the houses, and the kitchens, " are all filthy, and exhale mephitic air. In almost every " house is a boudoir for the ladies to retire to, it is called " ohrador, or work room. Nothing is of less utility at " Quito than this room, for the ladies pass their wh<»le life " either in idleness, or in receivins; and jiayinir visits. The " obrador is tolerably well furnished, though but little taste " is apparent in tiie arrangement. On the roof is a terrace, " where the ladies cultivate flowers ; here they come to warm " themselves in the sun, and breathe the air, wliiili is not " always very agreeable, this being the place where the linen " is dried, the dishes are washed, and other afl^airs still more " domestic are transacted. «' The nobility and the middling classes iidiabit the upper " part of the house ; the common people the groun goTerucd i)v the " Dominicans ; vain disputes about words, little severity in " labour or regulation, much recreation and affectation in " dress, such is the discipline in this establishiiient of edu- " cation. The college of Saint Louis is not better managed. " A prodigious number of Doctors of every rank, and 442 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. " condition, united under a rector chosen by themselves form " the University of Quito, with the exception of some who " have silently instructed themselves, the rest are in the utmost " ignorance ; for this reason an extreme indulgence is shown in " the examinations ; never is a refusal or reprimand received " at their hands ; the young students always answer in the " most satisfactory manner. The desire of these to become " doctors in their turn may easily be imagined ; it is for this " that Quito is the first country in the world which belies the " proverb, Non omnes doctores. " Whether from the timidity natural to their sex, the re- " elusion in which they are kept, or from the superintendence of " the bishops, the victims of parental avarice, fraternal jea- " lousy, or conjugal despair, and often of an excessive love for " God, practise with more exactness than the monks, the virtues " of that religion to which they have devoted their lives. It is " true that some among them fall, and that even the austere ♦' Order of Santa-Thei'esa has considerably relaxed its disci- " pline ; but at least there is none of those scandalous vices <' which so often profane the convents of men : women some- " times have frailties, men oftentimes vices." From Quito, Caldas went first to Tarubamba, all the inns he met with were provided with bread, cheese, and cbicha. He then traversed the following towns : Machake, in 0°. 25'. S. lat., contains 2,200 inhabitants, among whom are 800 Indians. The thermometer of Reaumur usually indicated in this village, &". above zero. Saquilisi, 0°. 50'. lo". S. lat. has camlet manufactories. Taquaco. On quitting this village a paramo of three or four leagues in extent is to be traversed before you reach Tigua. The country where this village is situated, is covered with flocks of sheep, whose wool is much esteemed. Taguolo, 0°. 53'. S. lat. produces sugar canes ; great quan- tities of confectionary are made there. Macuchimina is rich in mines ; the country is intersected by so many precipices and rivers, principally by the Yana, NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 443 Yacu, and Pilalo, that the only mode of travelling is on the sh«»iilders of the Indians, The forests of Macuchiniana yield great quantities of Peruvian bark. Pilalo. This village contains 2,000 souls. The winds blow there with extreme violence in the months of July, August, and September. On quitting Pilalo, the traveller proceeds towards Hambato. The country traversed before arriving there is covered with sand thrown out from the volcanoes with which the country is filled. Hambato is a pretty village ; the streets are laid down by the line ; the houses are very agreeable, those which are at some distance from the centre of the village are surrounded with shrubberies of agavas, plumb, pjar, peach, and other fruit trees, some cactus laden with cochineals increase the soli- dity of these hedges, and render them impenetrable. All these cottages isolated and hidden behind these screens of verdure and flowers, produce a delicious effect. The churches are of wood and of little height on account of the earthtpiakes. Ham- bato has more than once been destroyed by this terrible scourge. The numerous and happy population of this village is mostly composed of Indians. Upon quitting Hambato to go to Cuenca, the traveller crosses the bridge and village of Querro, the Paramo of Sabanag, the village of llapo, and the plain of Tapi ; in (piitting the latter, he traverses the ruins of Riobamba. This village was de- stroyed on the 4th of February, 1797, by an earthquake. The inhabitants who escaped its ravages have endeavoured to found a new Riobamba in the plain of Tapi. This village rises slowly, as if menaced by the shocks of Chimborazo, Cuairazo, Tungue- ragna, and Altar, which surround it on all sides, it had to fear seeing itself again crushed beneath the flaming masses vomited by the Giants of the Andes. The ruins of the ancient Riobamba are to be rather imagined than actually traced. This unforin- nate spot is so dear to some inhabitants, that they rather prefer being buried there, like their family, than t(» quit the remains of those they loved. Thus, the wretched huts one sees 444 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. there are embellished, when considered as so many altars erected to friendship and patriotic love. After having passed over a country in which nothing was to be perceived but the traces of earthquakes, Caldas arrived at Guamote, situated in 1° 55' S. lat. " Here," says this tra- veller, " the two branches of the Cordilleras are easily dis- tinguished. That on the west is the least elevated. A large opening is to be seen worked by the hand of nature for the out- let of the waters. In the province of Las Emeraldas, it only takes place at Tuipulco, and in Maranon at Totorillos. The opening here mentioned is the deep bedof the river of Guayaquil." A very severe cold is felt at Guamote. It is impossible, however, not to admire the situation, which is very agreeable, Guamote is surrounded by very high mountains ; the ground on which this village is built is an island bathed by two rivers, the banks of which are extremely fertile. Guamote only contains a small number of cottages built with reeds and a church. This village was, however, the centre of that terrible revolution which desolated these countries in 180S. The word excise, which these people do not understand, a few new taxes it was intended to impose, caused the insurrection to burst forth ; no other cause for this movement must be sought for ; none of the traits which mark the revolution of other countries are to be found in this. Recollecting the efforts which had been made to re-establish in this part of the province of Quito the duties of tobacco and brandy, the Indians feared that they would again endeavour to impose them upon them. A few imprudent words sufficed to arm them with sword and torch. Suddenly the ill suppressed hatred which they indulged against the half whites, was again roused in their hearts ; they animated each other to murder, and marked their steps with carnage. In fact, the In- dian, so cowardly when he is weak, becomes cruel, and im- placable when he is the stronger. When feared, he threatens, strikes, and kills ; he, whom a sword puts to flight when he is not stimulated either by hatred or revenge. This vast conspiracy, directed principally against the NOTES AND I M.USTRATION8. II'' whites, and which was to have set all thi'se iiinuiit:iins in a blaze, was prciniiturcly excnitrd liy tln" iiiiuil>itaiit.s of Guamote. The other villages, who were to have taken a [>art in the revolt, were not ready to support it ; it wholly faiUMJ. Some dreadful examples were made in order to intimidate thi- Indians ; Guamote was completely ruined. Continuing to follow the Cuenca road, we meet with Puma-Chaca. Here commences the descent ; the villages and cultivation become more frequent. As is done at the Capt- of Good Hope, horses are employed in thrashing the ctirii. Alausi is thenext town: it is in 2° S. lat. and contains 5,500 inhabitants among whomareiOOO Indians. AtAlausi com- mence those vast forests which extend as far as the Pacilic. Puma-Chaca where the traveller stops, is at as high an ele- vation as Quito. From thence one enters the Asuay. This pa- ramo is composed of rocks. The most elevated parts border on the limits of vegetation. After having quitted Puma-Llacta at five o'clock in the morning, one continually ascends as far as Salanag ; this is a plateau at which one rests. Pichts is the next town ; the air is here excessively cold. The ascent is gentle, although very long, as far as Litau ; it is here that, properly speaking, begins the paramo of Asuay, the tomb of a great number of travellers. When the wind blows there, it brings with it such a quantity of hail and snow that the air is darkened : the traveller up to his knees in water, is struck with cold, ho feels his limbs grow stiff, and often looses the use of them if he has the good fortune to escape with life. On the Asuay is a pool of about 70 varas in length (180 feet) : tbn water of this poud is at 9" R. above zero. Further on, is another of 5 or 6oo varas long and from 2 to SOO wide. Near there commences the plain of Puyal, dangerous on account of the deep marshes there met with ; at the extremity of the Puyal arc the ruins of a palace of the Incas, it is built of stone without cement the Indians have evinced a very singular taste in the choice of the places where they have constructed their pleasure 446 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. houses, since, during' eight months of the year, there is continued hail and rain here. After having' passed Alto de la Virgen, Caldas entered Delek. This village is peopled with Indians ; the country- assumes a more smiling aspect, the roads are better ; the population increases, every thing' announces the approach to a town of importance : one is not deceived, one has arrived at Cuenca, situated in a plain of considerable extent, the elevation of which, above the level of the sea, is 1279 toises. The temperature of Cuenca is very ag'reeable, it rarely descends during the day below 12", and never rises above 15° ; the nights are very cool, for the thermometer is often not more then 6. The sky is sometimes cloudy, but it rains less often than at Quito, and the storms last but a short time in the months of October and March. The rains, frequent during the equi- noxes, are rare during the solstice ; then the clouds evapo- rate, the sky assumes an azure blue ; this is the season of fine weather, with this difference however, that in the spring solstice there are four magnificent months, whilst in the win- ter solstice there are generally thirty days of rain. The ground on which Cuenca is built is flat, sandy and arid. The streets laid down by the line, are each 125 varas long (3^3 feet) and 12 wide (31 feet); the greater part of them are paved. Cuenca is the only town which enjoys the advantage of being every where supplied with water. The houses are all constructed with unbaked bricks, without taste, extremely low, dirty, and without any ornament. Filth is a characteristic trait of the province of Quito. The churches are poor and ill decorated ; with the exception of the Jesuits' College, the town is without public edifices. The chapter of the Cathedral consists of a dean, an archdeacon, a penitentiary, a doctor and two deacons. The governor has a salary of 2,500 piastres. The population amounts to 19,000 souls, including 3000 Indians. NOTKS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 4 j; There are convenN of Domiiiirans, Franrisrans, Augiistiiu-s, Hospitallers, B.'tliltMuitfS, and Carm.'Iitos. Th.T.' are two pa- rishes San-Blas and San-Sebastian : ilie eonvents aro dcpiMi- dent on those of Quito. The absolute want of instrmtion and intelligence renders the clergy of this town far inferior to iliaf of Quito. Tortoise shell is worked here with considerable taste; the arts of modeling in wax and sculpture in marble decline daily. The society of Cuenca is composed of throe classes : the nobility, who pass their lives in idleness ; the citizens, who are devoted to commerce ; and the people who are enga- ged in the most laborious works, for the curate and rbii-fs overwhelm them (I speak of the Inrlians) with the most grievous burdens. Cuenca receives cotton and soap from Piura ; cocoa, rice, salt, fish, wine, oil, and European earthenware, from (iuaya- quil ; and lastly from Quito, some coarse stuffs : in return it furnishes Loxa and Guayaquil with the grains and productions of the surrounding mountains. The valley of Paute is dependent on Cuenca ; it is seven leagues north-east of that town. Quicksilver mines have been discovered there. The mountains in the neighbourhood produce great quantities of Peruvian bark ; that which in ilie country is called pata de gallinazo is gathered at an elevation of 403 varas higher than that of Quito. San-Christoval, situated upon the Supay, Uccu and Qua- laceo, belong to the jurisdiction of Paute. In its environs are gathered cochineal and sugar : gold njines are also worked, Guagual-Suma is a hill famous in this country, because it is suspected that the Indians continue to sacrifice their infants there to the manes of their Incas ; neither Christianity nor the vi- gilance of the Spaniards have been able to abolish this horri- ble custom. Without historians, without monuments, ih.- In- dians have neither forgotten their ancient masters, nor their past misfortunes. 448 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, NOTE XII. Observations upon the means of establishing- a communica- tion by water, between the gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific, by the river Atrato, which discharg-es itself into the gulf of Darien, and by the river San- Juan, which nearly communi- cates with the upper part of the Atrato, and falls into the Pa- cific Ocean, in the bay of Chirambira.* " The principal mouth of the Atrato, is called Barbacoas. " It is situated in 8° 12' north latitude. The length of this " river is 480 miles, reckoning from its source. At its mouth, " commences the grand bay of Candelaria, capable of contain- " ing all the fleets in the universe, having a good anchorage, " of from 1 8 to 30 fathoms depth, sheltered against every wind, " and only subject to a strong sea in the months when the " north-winds prevail. Its bar even in the dry season, and at " low tide, has five feet water ; during the rainy season, and " high tides, six feet and a half, extending about 900 yards " with a hard sand bottom. " The first river of any size which discharges itself into " the Atrato, is called Rio-Sucio, and is in latitude 7° 46' " north. In its present state, it is not navigable, on account " of the trees and rocks, which obstruct its progress." " The second is the Mariendo. This river is in 7° 6' " north latitude. Twenty miles beyond its junction with the " Atrato are seen some very lofty mountains which bear the " same name ; they abound in many species of valuable woods. " The third, is the Napipi, which falls into the Atrato, " in latitude 6° 3S' north. By means of this river, an easy " communication might be opened with the Pacific Ocean, which " is only at the distance of six miles from the source of the " Napipi. From the source of the Napipi to the inn built " above the river of Don Carlos, is reckoned a three days' "journey, about 100 miles; from this point to the inn at " Antado, six hours or 18 miles. From thence is a journey " over land as far as the bay of Cupica, in the Pacific Ocean, this * The author of this interesting but anonymous essay is an Eng-lishmau. NOTES AND I I. I.l sTit V I' I o NS. 449 *' takos (Hit; (lay's travollinu^. 'I'lic joiinicv is porfuriiHMl on " mules, (»r on llie backs (if men. Tlic port of I'upica is f\- " cellent for every kind of vessels. " The fourth river which discharjjes itself into tin- Alra- " to, is the Bevara ; it is in latitude (>" ■>' north. I'lftccn " niilcvS beyond its omboiichure is a warehouse (bodepa), serv- " ing as a depot for the merchandises destined for Antioquia. " From this warehouse to Verras, is a land journey of sixty " miles. It is generally perfornuHl on the l>acks of men, and " usually takes seven days to accomplish it ; the prir(> (»f a " load, of 125 pounds, is 12 piastres. " On the road from Verras to Antioquia (forty miles), " mules are used : each mule costs four piastres. " The capital of the province of Choco is, San I'rancisco " de Luibdo or Citara, situated at a distance of Hm inil'--' from *' the sea ; it has but one church and a custom house ; its po- *' pulation does not amount to a thousand inhabitants. " As far as Citara, the Atrato presents but few obstacles " to vessels which do not draw more than seven feet water. *' Its course is equally clear of rocks and trunks of trees. The " stream of the Atrato in the dry season, runs two niiles per " hour, and five in the rainy season. The source of this river " is forty-eight miles beyond Citara. "Opposite this town tin- (iiiilo mingles itself with ili.- Atrato ; it is by this river that the inhabitants reach ili.- ravine of San Pablo; in the dry season, it presents some diffi- culties on account of the little depth. This obstacle may easily be removed by means of sluices and other snachincs known in Europe; besides the ravine of San Pablo, is only two miles wide. NOTE Xlll. The territory, in the province of Antio(juia, in \vlii( li arc si- tuated the towns of llcmedios, Saragusa, Caceres, Cancan. 2 G 450 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, Yalomba, and San-Bartholome, the extent of which may be about fifty leagues, only contains 6,303, inhabitants. Restrepo, Essai/, &c. NOTE XIV. Words in the Language of the Indians of Choco: Copdour chief Ouenmehor man-eater Decoupera ^ • • woman Hemeora man. Babkoukena white. Gaouna indian. Ningour black. Ourima capun come here. Carpemara how much. Amba one. Noumi two. Canoupa three. Aiapa four. Conambo five. Andkinananiba six. NOTE XV. The Colombians are even little flattered at comparisons being drawn between them and the Europeans, they are espe- cially very jealous of the talents of their generals. There ai'e many persons in Colombia, who consider Bolivar as a warrior far superior to Bonaparte. Very few indeed of our learned men appear to them of a merit above that of Mutis, Caldas, and Zea. Vasques their painter, and Mosquera the first orator of their chamber of deputies, are men whose ability in their opinion is not at all eclipsed by that of the finest genuises of Europe. There is no exaggeration in this, as these opinions are almost NOTES AND I 1, 1.USTK ATI ON S. 451 general. If a few persons suppress tlu'Mi hefori? slran-rers, their silence must be attributed lo their excessive modesty. It is useless to say that they think but little of European soldiers; their own victories over the Spanish troops may confirm them in their contempt for the troops of our continent. These and similar sentiments will not excite surprise when it is known, that many Colombians add to the pride so peculiar to .Spaniards, a very slight acquaintance with Europe ; it is there- fore natural that they should only admire such of their country- men whose merit has shown forth with some eclat, riiis, in other respects, is a proof that they already possess a character truly national. Besides they candidly acknowledge a literary superiority in Europe, which will certainly inspire them with a wish to emulate it. NOTE XVI. The pictures painted in Europe before Raphael appeared, may give some idea of those which are now pnKluced in Co- lombia ; the design is incorrect, the figures want expression ; not the least idea of perspective is to be found , and in general no traces of imagination. If in eloquence and poetry, the Americans cannot yet pretend to surpass the Spaniards,* their compositions are at least free from the trash which prevents the French writers who preceded the reign of Louis XIV. from being read. Far from resembling the preachers of that period, their priests introduce much gravity and fervour in their sermons. With respect to literature, the better sort of people in America has ixeii less * The best poet of the republic is a .Spanish priest. I need not observe that whenever distinguished persons are spoken of, it is the principal inhabitants of Caracas, Bojrota, Quito and Guayaquil "nIv who are designated ; since in the country a very corrupt .Spanisli is ^|>okt■n, and even the greater part oC the Indian tribes do not understand il, but speak each a diti'erent dialect. 2g 2 452 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. stationary than in the arts and sciences. The orators in the chambers have rarely any dig-nity in their speeches, or any of those touches which determine the resohition of an assembly. Opportunities of producing a great effect are not however, wanting, since the chamber is already divided into valley and TMouwfam, (valle e montana) . But the parliamentary language is not yet formed ; a member cannot be animated without falling immediately into a passion ; I have even seen some represen- tative weep with rage. There are some members who speak very well impromptu. The vice president of he chamber of representatives, a priest on the opposition side, has even been very eloquent in a discussion respecting the patronage claimed by government, but which it renounced for a time, for fear of raising the clergy against them. NOTE XVII. Analysis of some minerals of Colombia, by Mr. Berthier, Professsor at the Royal College of the mines. Cop- per mineral of Moniquira. It is a mixture of pyritous copper, of grey copper, of black oxide copper, and carbonate green copper. It is very rich in copper, but contains a very small quantity of silver. The grey copper might be worked with great advantage, but the copper it would produce would be impure and difficult to re- fine. It is no doubt, for this reason, that the Indians only melt down pyritous copper. It appears that the process they pursue is much the same as that of Europe, for their Scoria are chiefly composed of silex and oxide of iron like ours ; they obtain besides but a very small quantity of copper. Mineral of lead ofSogainoso. It is of carbonated lead, mix- ed with some particles of plumbago, and scattered among quartz. A similar kind is found in Europe. Only one trace of silver is to be found in it. NOTES AND I 1, 1.USTll ATI ON S. 4^3 Mineral of iron in the nfi * No. 45. The confusion in the Spanish orijrinal obliged nic to make somecbauares in the sums of the ditterent additions, and (.. ..niit the t..hlr of exportation 456 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Brought over 433,140 Importations from Europe. Piastres Woollen stuflfs 13,369 Linen ditto 6o,333 Cotton ditto 325,242 Woollen hats 6,281 9,489 Silk ditto 2,262 12,466 Silks 15,568 Flour-barrels 5,798 57,983 Hard-ware 36,414 Provisions 34,674 Wine in casks arrobas 4,025 9,725 Wine in bottles dozens 2,414 4,504 Gold and silver specie 32,330 Different articles 11,838 623,935—623,935 Total of Importations 1,057,075 Annual Exportations of New Grenada prior to 1810. Piastres Rls. Piastres. 1 0,000 fanegas of cocoa brought from the vallies of Cucuta 6,000 quintals of coffee 6,000 quintals of cotton 12,000 load of coloured wood, of 250lfe from Rio-Hacha 3,000 ditto from Santa-Martha 30,000 quintals of cotton from Carthagena 20 20,000 quintals of coloured wood 100,000 loads of cocoa (75ll5) from Guaya- quil 10,000 loads (250115) of Loxa bark 20,000 ditto from Carthagena carried over i,884,ooo ® 20 200,000 10 60,000 15 90,000 7 84,000 5 15,000 a 20 600,000 6 15,000 6 600,000 10 100,000 6 120,000 NUTKS ANU ILLUSTRATIONS. Piastrcti Kits. Brou-^lit over 6,OOOfl5 of platina from Choco* Sundry producej- 4'»7 I'ijitlri-d 3G,0on R0,00(» Metals 2,0()(),0(K» 4,000,000 Revenues of New Grenada before in 10. Piastres Custom house duties 600,000 Alcabala 100,000 Farming of tobacco 300,000 400,000 buHs+ 100,000 Stamps 150,000 The mints 150,000 Indian tributes 50,000 Licences ioo,(»()o 1 ,550,000 Thus, according to the opinion of Seuor Jove, the reve- nues of New Grenada never amounted, prior to 1 8 10, beyond 1 ,550,000 piastres ; although this estimate appears to me far too small, yet, in speaking of the finances of Colombi.i, 1 have * Now, that the exportation of this mineral is prohibited, it is not worth more than from 3 to 4 piastres per lb, aud the same quantity i^ exported as formerly. f Under this denomination is comprehended tlic sarHaparilla (2 real* per load) cocoa butter, vanilla, vigon, and yarnish of Peru, tiie price of which is from 8 to 10 reals per lb, and the quality of which, in abler hands might be made to equal that of the varnish of China. X The government of Colombia has forbidden the sale of bulls till the pope determine to acknowledge the republic. 458 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. only valued them at 5 or 6,000,000 piastres, because, if the sale of national property, and the obligation imposed upon the clergy of contributing-, like the rest of the nation to the ex- penses of the state, have augmented the riches of the govern- ment ; on the other hand, the disasters incidental to a fourteen years' war have ruined a number of resources which Spain for- merly possessed. We shall conclude these investigations by comparing the relative importance of the Colombian and Mexican commerce. Balance of the Carthagena Trade. Importations from Spain. Exportations for Spain. Years 1802 983,885 piastres. 3,082,819 — 2 1803 971,863 1,554,385 — I 1804 903,644 2,468,578 — 7 2,859,392 7,105,783 — 2 On this amoimt should be estimated inl produce •' Money 4,752,232 Balance of the Trade of Vera Cruz, during the same Years. Importations from Spain. Importations from America. 20,390,859 1,607,729 18,493,289 1,373,428 14,906,060 1,619,682 53,790,208 4,600,839 4,600,839 58,391,047 V ""TES AN,. II,,,„,T„,,,,„N.. \ Expoi-tations for Spain. Exp«it„(io„„ ,.,, ,,„. ,.^^,^ oo ^^^ "•' Airii-rica. 33,866,219 12,017,072 IS, 033, 37/ 63,916,662 10,471,505 74,388,167 ^■■>8I,14K 2,46.'>,8.»G •'^.lo^.'il I '